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Eiufniral  by  ASmM  J.JIA. 


THE   HISTORY 

OF 

EEDDINQ,   CONN., 

FROM    ITS 

FIRST  SETTLEMENT  TO  THE  PRESENT  TIME. 

WITH   NOTES    ON 


THE  ADAMS,  BANKS,  BARLOW,  BARTLETT,  BARTRAM,  BATES,  BEACH,  BENEDICT 
KETTS,  nURK,  Bt-RRITT,  BURTON,  CHATFIELD,  COUCH,  DARLING,  FAIRCHILD 

;TER,  GOLD,  GORHAM,  GRAY,  GRIKFIN,  HALL,  IIAWLEY,  HILL,  HERON, 

HULL,   JACKSOJf,    LEE,    LTON,    LORD,    MALLORY,    MEADE,    MEEKER, 

MERCHANT,    MORE^fSE,    PERRY,    PLATT,    READ,    ROGERS. 

r.U.MSEY,    SANFORD,   SMITH,    AND    STOW  FAMILIES. 


BY 

CHARLES  BURR  TODD, 

AUTHOR    OF    "A    HISTORY    OF    THE    BURR    FAMILY. 


NEW  YOUK: 

THE  JOHN  A.  GRAY  PRESS  AND  STEAM  TYPE-SETTING  OFFICE. 

CORKER  OF  FRANKFORT  AND  JACOB  STREETS. 

1880. 


PREFACE. 


AN  interest  is  attached  to  the  place  of  one's  birth  which 
change  of  scene  rather  enhances  than  removes,  and  which 
increases  rather  than  diminishes  in  intensity  as  one  ap- 
proaches the  later  stages  of  life  :  this  home  feeling  has 
been  largely  instrumental  in  the  production  of  this  work, 
and  to  it  is  due  nearly  every  thing  of  interest  or  value  that 
the  book  possesses. 

A  history  of  Redding  has  been  long  contemplated  by  the 
author  as  a  service  due  his  native  town,  and  as  long  shrunk 
from  because  of  the  labor,  the  expense,  and  the  difficulty 
of  its  compilation.  Whether  well  or  illy  done,  it  is  now 
completed,  and  goes  out  to  the  somewhat  limited  public  for 
whom  it  was  written. 

The  materials  for  the  work  have  been  drawn  largely  from 
the  ancient  records  of  the  town  and  parish,  from  the  rec- 
ords of  the  colony,  and  from  the  files  of  musty  papers  in 
the  State  Library  at  Hartford.  Tradition  and  oral  infor- 
mation have  not  been  neglected,  and  every  reasonable 
effort  has  been  made  to  render  the  work  as  far  as  possible 
a  thorough  and  reliable  history  of  the  town.  That  errors 
and  discrepancies  will  be  found,  is  to  be  expected  ;  bub  it  is 
not  believed  that  they  are  sufficiently  numerous  or  impor- 
tant to  destroy  its  historical  value.  In  the  preparation  of 
the  book  the  compiler  has  aimed  to  preserve  the  character 
of  a  local  historian,  and  has  confined  himself  chiefly  to  the 


20124C8 


iv  PREFACE. 

narration  of  local  facts  and  incidents.  In  harmony  with 
this  principle,  an  extended  biography  of  Joel  Barlow,  at 
first  intended  for  this  work,  has  been  excluded.  The 
sketch  of  the  poet  so  grew  on  the  author's  hands,  that  it 
was  found  it  would  make  a  volume  by  itself,  and  con- 
tained so  much  of  general  interest  and  detail  that  it  could 
not  be  made  to  harmonize  with  the  local  character  of  this 
work.  A  concise  sketch  of  the  poet's  life,  however,  and 
the  original  portrait  from  Fulton's  oil-painting,  that 
formed  the  frontispiece  of  the  Coluinbiad,  are  included  in 
its  pages. 

The  compiler  has  not  aimed  at  making  a  large  book  : 
many  facts  in  few  words  is  what  a  busy  age  demands  of 
the  historian,  and  in  deference  to  this  demand  only  such 
matter  as  was  of  real  value  and  interest  has  been  admitted. 
The  church  histories  and  the  genealogical  notes  are,  per- 
haps, the  most  important,  if  not  the  most  interesting,  por- 
tions of  the  work.  It  would  have  added  to  the  value  of 
the  ecclesiastical  history,  no  doubt,  if  it  had  been  prepared 
by  the  pastors  of  the  different  churches  represented  ;  but, 
with  one  exception,  these  had  so  recently  assumed  the 
care  of  their  charges,  that  they  did  not  feel  at  liberty  to 
undertake  it,  and  the  task  fell  to  the  lot  of  the  compiler. 
If  this  department  is  not  what  it  might  have  been,  the 
cause  may  be  found  in  the  disadvantages  which  a  layman 
must  labor  under  in  attempting  to  write  ecclesiastical 
history.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Welton,  rector  of  Christ  Church, 
very  kindly  consented  to  prepare  the  history  of  that  church, 
and  his  paper  will  be  read  with  interest  by  our  citizens. 

In  preparing  the  notes  on  the  early  families  of  the 
town,  it  was  the  writer's  intention  at  first  to  make  them 
much  more  complete  and  extensive.  But  the  little  in- 
terest in  the  matter  manifested  by  the  families  concerned, 
and  the  great  labor  and  expense  involved  in  compiling 
any  thing  like  a  complete  history  of  the  thirty  or  forty 


PREFACE.  v 

families  mentioned,  led  him  to  abridge  the  work,  and  to 
give  the  matter  in  the  form  of  notes  taken  chiefly  from 
the  town  and  parish  records.  The  fact  that  the  record  of 
some  families  is  given  more  fully  than  that  of  others,  is 
not  owing  to  any  partiality  on  the  author's  part,  but  to 
the  fact  that  these  families  interested  themselves  enough 
in  the  matter  to  furnish  the  data  called  for. 

By  reference  to  the  title-page  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
modern  method  of  spelling  the  name  of  the  town — Redding 
— is  adopted  rather  than  the  ancient — Reading.  Legally, 
no  such  town  as  Reading  exists  in  Connecticut,  since,  both 
in  the  act  of  incorporation  and  on  the  probate  seal,  the 
name  is  spelled  Redding  ;  and  inquiry  elicits  the  fact 
that  the  majority  of  the  citizens  prefer  the  latter  method 
of  spelling.  It  is  the  opinion  of  the  writer,  however,  that 
the  original  name  of  the  town  was  Reading,  and  that  if 
historical  precedents  are  to  be  followed  it  should  be  so 
named  now.  In  all  old  documents  among  the  State  ar- 
chives, and  in  the  ancient  records  of  Fairfield  (where  the 
name  first  occurs),  the  orthography  is  Reading.  In  the 
town  and  society  records  it  is  spelled  either  Redding  or 
Reding,  rarely  Reading.  Rev.  Moses  Hill,  a  gentleman 
well  versed  in  the  antiquities  of  the  town,  informs  me  that 
at  the  time  of  its  incorporation,  in  1767,  a  meeting  was 
held,  at  which  it  was  voted  that  the  name  of  the  new  town 
should  be  Redding  ;  and  the  fact  that  in  the  original  bill 
incorporating  it  the  name  Reading  has  been  crossed  out 
and  that  of  Redding  substituted,  would  seem  to  point  to 
some  such  action  on  the  part  of  the  town.  I  find  no 
entry  of  any  such  action,  however,  in  the  town  records. 

The  books  consulted  in  the  preparation  of  the  volume 
have  been  Barber's  "  Historical  Collections  of  Connecti- 
cut," Hollisters  "  History  of  Connecticut,"  I)e  For- 
rest's "  Indians  of  Connecticut,"  Teller's  "  History  of 
Ridgefield,"  the  Congregational  Year-Book,  and  Stevens' 


M\  PREFACE. 

"  History  of  Methodism."  The  author's  thanks  are  due 
Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford,  our  efficient  town-clerk,  for  ready 
access  to  the  town  records,  and  for  many  valuable  hints 
and  suggestions  ;  also  to  Messrs.  Thomas  Sanford,  William 
E.  Duncomb,  Daniel  Sanford,  David  S.  Bartram,  James 
Sanford,  and  David  H.  Miller,  for  efficient  aid  in  the  prep- 
aration of  the  work.  He  is  also  indebted  to  Rev.  Moses 
Hill,  of  Norwalk,  for  data  of  the  Hill  and  Barlow  families  ; 
and  to  Mr.  A.  B.  Hull,  of  Danbury,  for  many  papers  and 
documents  relating  to  the  history  of  the  town. 

C.  B.  T. 
REDDING,  March  1,  1880. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAP.  PAGE 

I,  PRELIMINARY  SETTLEMENT 1 

II.  REDDING  AS  A  PARISH 23 

III.  TOWN  HISTORY 32 

IV.  REVOLUTIONARY  HISTORY  AND  INCIDENTS 47 

V.    CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH 75 

VI.  CHRIST  CHURCH 90 

VII.  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 113 

VIII.  BAPTIST  CHURCH  IN  GEORGETOWN 129 

IX.  METHODIST  PROTESTANT  CHURCH 133 

X.  HISTORY  OF  SCHOOLS 137 

XI.  MANUFACTURERS 143 

XII.  MISCELLANEOUS 149 

XIII.  REDDING  IN  THE  CIVIL  WAR 159 

XIV.  THE  EARLY  FAMILIES  OF  REDDING 173 

XV.  BIOGRAPHICAL..                                               .  223 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY. 


"READING,  60  miles  south-west  of  Hartford,  about 
5  miles  long  by  64-  wide,  with  an  area  of  32  square  miles.  The 
Saugatuck  River  crosses  it  through  the  middle,  north  and 
south  ;  and  the  Norwalk  River  is  in  the  west  part.  The 
forest  trees  are  oak,  nut  trees,  etc.  Population  in  1830. 
1686."—  United  States  Gazetteer,  1833. 

"  Like  many  of  the  New  England  villages,  it  is  scattered, 
and  beautifully  shaded  with  elms,  maples,  and  syca- 
mores."— Lossing,  Field-Boole  of  the  Revolution. 

"  The  geological  character  of  the  town,  as  throughout 
Western  Connecticut  is  metamorpliic.  Granitic  and  por- 
phyritic  rocks,  and  especially  micaceous  schists,  predom- 
inate. The  minerals  are  such  as  are  familiar  in  such 
rocks — hornblende,  garnet,  kyanite,  tremolite,  etc.  In  the 
western  part  of  the  town  are  deposits  of  magnesian  lime- 
stone (or  dolomite),  much  of  which  is  quite  pure, 
though  some  of  it  contains  tremolite  and  other  impurities. 
The  other  mineral  features  of  the  town  are  not  specially 
noteworthy,  or  of  general  interest.  The  soil  is  probably, 
in  the  main,  the  result  of  the  disintegration  of  the  under- 
lying rocks." — Notes  of  Rev.  John  Dickinson. 


HISTORY    OF    REDDING 


CHAPTER   I. 

PEELIMIXAKY    SETTLEMENT. 

THE  history  of  the  early  settlement  of  Redding 
differs  radically  from  that  of  any  of  the  neighboring 
towns.  A  new  settlement  was  generally  formed  by 
a  company  of  men,  who  purchased  of  the  Indians  a 
tract  of  land  in  the  wilderness,  had  it  secured  to 
them  by  a  charter  from  the  General  Assembly,  and 
also  surveyed  and  regularly  laid  out,  and  then 
removed  to  it  with  their  wives  and  families.  Dan- 
bury,  Newtown,  and  Ridgefield  were  settled  in  this 
manner  ;  but  Redding  at  the  time  of  its  first  settle- 
ment was  a  part  of  the  town  of  Fail-field,  and  so 
continued  for  nearly  forty  years — a  fact  which 
makes  it  much  more  difficult  to  collect  the  frag- 
ments of  its  early  history  and  to  accurately  define  its 
original  metes  and  bounds.  Fairfield  formerly  ex- 
tended to  the  cross  highway  leading  from  the  Centre 
to  Redding  Ridge,  and  the  entire  southerly  portion 
of  Redding  was  given  by  that  town  on  the  erection 
of  the  former  into  a  parish  in  1729.  This  portion  of 
Redding  was  probably  surveyed  as  early  as  1640, 
being  included  in  the  purchase  made  by  the  proprie- 
tors of  Fairfield  in  1639.  Between  Fairfield  north 
2 


2  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

bounds  and  the  towns  of  Bidgefield,  Danbury,  and 
Newtown  was  an  oblong  tract  of  unoccupied  land, 
whose  bounds  were  about  the  same  as  those  that 
now  exist  between  Redding  and  the  towns  above 
named  :  this  tract  was  variously  called,  in  the  early 
records,  the  "oblong,"  the  "peculiar,"  and  the 
u  comon  lands."  It  was  claimed  by  a  petty  tribe 
of  Indians,  whose  fortified  village  was  on  the  high 
ridge  a  short  distance  south-west  of  the  present  resi- 
dence of  Mr.  John  Read.  This  tribe  consisted  of 
disaffected  members  of  the  Potatucks  of  Xewtown. 
and  the  Paugussetts  of  Milford,  with  a  few  stragglers 
from  the  Mohawks  on  the  w*est. 

Their  chief  was  Chickens  Warrups,  or  Sam  Mo- 
hawk, as  he  was  sometimes  called.     President  Stiles 
says   in  his    "  Itinerary"    that  he  was  a  Mohawk 
sagamore,  or  under-chief,  who  fled  from  his  tribe 
and  settled  first  at  Greenfield  Hill,  but  having  Id]  led 
an  Indian  there  he  was  again  obliged  to  flee,  and 
then  settled  in  Redding.     All  the  Indian  deeds  to 
the  early  settlers    were    given   by  Chickens,   and 
Naseco,  who  seems  to  have  been  a  sort  of  sub-chief. 
The  chief,   Chickens,  figures  quite  prominently  in 
the  early  history  of  Redding  ;  he  seems  to  have  been 
a  strange  mixture  of  Indian  shrewdness,  rascality, 
and  cunning,  and  was  in  continual  difficulty  with 
the  settlers  concerning  the  deeds  which  he  gave 
them.     In  1720  he  was  suspected  by  the  colonists 
of  an  attempt  to   bring  the  Mohawks  and   other 
western  tribes  down  upon  them,  as  is  proved  by  the 
following   curious   extract  from  the  records   of    a 
meeting  of  the  governor  and  council  held  at  New 
Haven,  September  loth,  1720  : 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  3 

"  It  having  been  represented  to  this  board  that  an 
Indian  living  near  Danbury,  called  Chickens,  has 
lately  received  two  belts  of  wampumpeag  from  cer- 
tain remote  Indians — as  it  is  said,  to  the  west  of 
Hudson  River — with  a  message  expressing  their  de- 
sire to  come  and  live  in  this  colony,  which  said  mes- 
senger is  to  be  conducted  by  aforesaid  Chickens  to 
the  Indians  at  Potatuck,  and  Wiantenuck,  and  Po- 
quannuck,  in  order  to  obtain  their  consent  for  their 
coming  and  inhabiting  among  them  ;  and  that  here- 
upon our  frontier  towns  are  under  considerable  a.p- 
prehensions  of  danger  from  Indians,  fearing  that  the 
belts  have  been  sent  on  some  bad  design  : 

"It  is  Resolved,  That  Captain  John  Sherman,  of 
Woodbury,  and  Major  John  Burr,  of  Fairfield,  tak- 
ing with  them  Thomas  Minor,  of  Woodbury,  or  such 
other  interpreter  as  they  shall  judge  meet,  do  repair 
immediately  to  said  Indians  at  Potatuck  and  Wian- 
tenuck, and  cause  the  said  Chickens,  to  whom  the 
belts  and  messengers  were  sent,  to  attend  them,  and 
to  make  the  best  inquiry  they  can  into  the  truth  of 
said  story,  and  what  may  be  the  danger  of  said  mes- 
sage, and  as  they  shall  see  cause,  take  proper  order 
that  the  said  Indian  with  the  belts,  and  the  principal 
or  chief  of  the  Potatuck  and  Wiantenuck  Indians, 
attend  the  General  Court  at  its  next  session,  to  re- 
ceive such  orders  as  may  be  useful  to  direct  them  in 
their  behavior  in  relation  thereunto  ;  and  that  Major 
Burr  return  home  by  way  of  Danbury,  that  the  in- 
habitants there  and  in  those  western  parts  may  be 
quieted  as  to  their  apprehensions  of  danger  from  the 
Indians,  if  upon  inquiry  they  find  there  is  no  just 
ground  for  them." 

The  first  deed  or  grant  of  land  in  the  "  oblong1' 
within  my  knowledge  was  given  to  Mr.  Cyprian 
Nichols  in  1687.  This  grant,  in  Secretary  Wylly's 
handwriting,  reads  as  follows  : 


4  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

"At  a  General  Court  held  at  Hartford,  October  13, 

1687. 

"This  Court  grants  Mr.  Cyprian  Nichols  two 
hundred  acres  of  land  where  he  can  find  it,  provided 
he  take  it  up  where  it  may  not  prejudice  any  former 
grant  to  any  particular  person  or  plantation ;  and 
the  surveyors  of  the  next  plantation  are  hereby  ap- 
pointed to  lay  out  the  same,  he  paying  for  it. 

' '  CALEB  STANLEY/  ' 

Captain  Nichols  "  took  up"  his  grant  in  that  part 
of  the  "  oblong"  which  is  now  Lonetown,  as  is 
shown  by  the  following  document : 

"MARCH   1,    A.D.    1711. 

"  Then  laid  out  ye  Grant  of  two  hundred  acres  of 
land  granted  by  ye  General  Court  to  Capt.  Cyp- 
rian Nichols,  Oct.  13,  1687,  as  follows,  viz.,  be- 
ginning at  a  great  Chestnut  tree  marked  on  ye 
south  and  west  side,  and  J.  R.  set  upon  it,  standing 
at  ye  south  end  of  "NVoolf  Ridge,  a  little  below  Dan- 
bury  bounds,  thence  running  west  one  hundred  rods 
to  a  Walnut  tree  marked  on  two  sides,  then  running 
south  one  mile  to  a  red  oak  tree  marked,  then  run- 
ning east  one  hundred  rods  to  a  black  oak  tree 
marked,  then  running  north  one  mile  to  the  Chest- 
nut tree  first  mentioned.  An  heap  of  stones  lying 
at  ye  root  of  each  of  ye  trees.  We  say  then  thus 
laid  out  by  us, 

THOMAS  HOYT, 
DANIEL  TAYLOR, 

Surveyors  of  ye  Town  of  Danbury. 
"  Entered  in  ye  public  book  of  En- 

trys  for  Surveys  of  Land,  folio  14, 

per  Hezekiah  Wvllys,  Secretary, 

March  21,  1711." 

The  next  two  grants  in  this  tract  of  which  we 
have  any  record  were  made,  the  first,  May  7th,  1700, 
to  Mr.  Daniel  Hilton,  and  the  second  October  10th, 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  0 

1706,  to  Mr.  Richard  Hubbell.     They  were  laid  out 
nearly  at  the  same  time,  and  side  by  side  with  the 

preceding  grant,  as  follows  : 

"MARCH  SRD,  A.D.  1711. 

"  Then  laid  out  ye  Grant  of  two  hundred  acres  of 
land  made  by  ye  General  Court  to  Mr.  Daniel  Hil- 
ton, May  7,  1700,  and  ye  Grant  of  one  hundred 
acres,  granted  October  10th,  1706,  by  ye  General 
Court  to  Mr.  Richard  Hubbell,  all  in  one  piece  as 
folio  we  th,  viz.,  Beginning  at  a  Walnut  tree  marked, 
and  J.  R.  upon  it,  standing  a  little  way  North  East 
from  ye  Hog  Ridge,  between  Danbury  and  Fairfield, 
thence  running  two  hundred  and  eighty  rods  north- 
erly to  a  Red  Oak  tree  marked,  on  ye  West  [side  of 
Stadly  Ridge,  thence  running  easterly  one  hundred 
and  eighty -four  rods  to  the  Little  River  at  two  Elm 
Staddles  and  a  Red  Oak,  marked,  thence  running 
Southerly,  west  of  ye  river,  and  bounded  upon  it, 
two  hundred  and  eighty  rods  to  a  bitter  Walnut  tree 
marked,  thence  running  one  hundred  and  sixty  rods 
westerly  to  the  Walnut  tree  first  mentioned,  thus  and 
then  laid  out  by  us, 

THOMAS  HOYT, 
DANIEL  TAYLOR, 
Surveyors  of  tlie  Town  of  Danbury. ," 

These  grants  were  purchased,  probably  before  they 
were  laid  out,  by  Mr.  John  Read,  one  of  the  earliest 
actual  settlers  of  Redding.  Mr.  Read  was  a  gentle- 
man of  education,  and  later  became  an  eminent  law- 
yer in  Boston.  He  was  withal  something  of  a  wag, 
as  is  proven  by  an  Indian  deed  given  him  about  this 
time,  which  he  drew  up,  and  which  was — wThat 
rarely  happens — a  humorous  as  well  as  a  legal  pro- 
duction.* It  reads  as  follows  : 


*  For  tliis  paper  and  several  others  that  follow,  I  am  indebted  to 
Mr.  George  Read,  of  Redding,  a  lineal  descendant  of  Colonel  Read. 


G  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

"  Know  all  men  by  these  crooked  Scrawls  & 
Seals,  yt.  we  Chickens,  alias  Sam  Mohawk,  & 
Naseco,  do  solemnly  declare  yt.  we  are  owners  of 
yt  tract  of  land  called  Lonetown,  fenced  round  be- 
tween Danbury  and  Fairfield,  and  Jno.  Read,  Govr. 
&  Commander  in  Chief  there  of,  &  of  the  Domin- 
ions yr-upon  depending,  desiring  to  please  us,  hav- 
ing plied  the  foot,  and  given  us  three  pounds  in 
money,  &  promised  us  an  house  next  autumn.  In 
consideration  yr'of,  we  do  hereby  give  and  grant  to 
him  and  his  heirs  the  farm  above  mentioned,  corn 
appertaining,  &  further  of  our  free  will  —  motion 
&  soverain  pleasure  make  ye  land  a  manour,  In- 
dowing  ye  land  with  ye  privileges  yr  of,  and  create 
the  sd.  John  Read,  Lord  Justice  and  Soverain  Pon- 
tiff of  the  same  to  him  and  his  heirs  forever  :  AYit- 
ness  our  crooked  marks  and  borrowed  Seals,  this 
seventh  day  of  May,  Anno  Regni,  Anno  Dei,  Gratia 
Magna  Brittannia,  and  Regina  Decimo  Tertio,  An  no 
Dom'r,  1714. 

1  1  1  *«i 

•'  CHICKENS,  alias 
SAM  MOHAWK, 


his 
NASECO    x 

mark. 
Sealed  and  delivered  in  presence  of 

his 

WINHAM,      X 
mark. 
his 
Li  AC  us,      ? 

crook. 
NATHAN  GOLD. 

her 
MARTHA  HARNEY,     x 

mark. 

"The   above    mentioned    Chickens    &    Naseco— 
personally    appeared    &   acknowledged    ye    above 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  1 

Instrument  yr  free  act  and  chearful  deed  in  Fair- 
field,  ye  7th  of  May,  1714, 

before  me. 

N.  GOLD, 

Dept.  Gomr 

About  1723  Captain  Samuel  Couch  of  Fail-field 
appears  as  a  large  landholder  in  Redding,  and  his 
operations  there  seem  to  have  caused  the  settlers  no 
little  uneasiness.  The  General  Court  of  1712  had 
ordered  that  all  the  lands  lying  between  Danbury 
and  Fairfield,  not  taken  up  by  actual  settlers,  should 
be  sold  in  Fairfield  at  public  vendue.  The  land, 
however,  was  not  sold  until  the  August  of  1722, 
when  it  was  bid  off  by  Captain  Couch  for  himself 
and  Nathan  Gold,  Esq.  No  notice  of  the  vendue 
was  given  to  the  settlers  at  Redding,  and  when  news 
of  the  sale  reached  them  they  became  very  much 
excited  and  indignant,  and  Mr.  Read  at  once  drew 
up  the  following  protest  and  petition,  which  was 
signed  by  the  farmers  and  presented  to  the  next 
General  Court  at  New  Haven.  It  is  noteworthy 
from  the  fact  that  the  Quaker  system  of  dates  is 
used. 

"  At  a  General  Court  held  at  New  Haven,  8th, 
10th,  1723. 

' '  To  the  Honor' ble  the  General  Court : 

"  John  Read  in  behalf  of  himself  and  the  rest  of 
the  farmers  or  proprietors  of  farms  between  Dan- 
bury  and  Fairfield,  humbly  sheweth, 

"  That  the  Hon'ble  Nathan  Gold,  Esq.,  late  de- 
ceased, and  Peter  Burr,  Esq.,  as  Agents  for  ye  Col- 
ony, held  a  Yandue  lately  at  Fairfield  about  ye  time 
of  ye  Superior  Courts  sitting  yr  in  August  last,  and 
sold  to  Capt.  Samuel  Couch,  who  bid  for  himself  and 


8  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

for  s'd Nathan  Gold,  Esq.,  all  ye  land  between  Fair- 
field  and  Danbury  not  before  disposed  of  for  the  snm 
of  -  — .  Yr  humble  pet'rs  conceive  the  same 

ought  not  to  be  ratified  :  because  ye  same  was  done  so 
unexpectedly,  and  without  sufficient  notice,  none  of 
us  most  nearly  concerned  knew  any  thing  of  it :  if  ye 
order  of  ye  General  Court  had  been  freshly  passed, 
ye  less  notice  was  need  full,  but  lying  ten  or  twelve 
years,  sufficient  notice  was  not  given,  and  well  con- 
sidered it  cant  be  good.  The  inconveniences  are  in- 
tolerable ;  the  place  is  now  growing  to  be  a  village 
apace.  Ye  lands  purchased  are  but  ye  — 
over  and  over  for  farms. 

"The  remaining  Scraps  will  be  a  very  lean  and 
scanty  allowance  for  a  comon,  and  (are)  absolutely 
necessary  to  accommodate  the  place  with  hiways, 
and  some  strips  left  on  purpose  for  ye  use  and  ye 
surveying  of  the  farms — Several  farms  interfere 
through  mistakes  and  such  iuterfers  must  be  sup- 
plied elsewhere  ;  now  in  such  circumstances  it  was 
never  the  hard  fate  of  any  poor  place  to  have  ye 
shady  Rock  at  their  door,  and  ye  path  out  of  town 
or  about  town  sold  away  from  them  by  ye  General 
Court.  Therefore  humbly  praying  ye  Hon'ble 
Court  to  grant  ye  same  to  ye  proprietors  of  farms 
there  in  proportion  for  a  common  and  hiways,  or 
if  the  same  seem  too  much,  since  some  persons  have 
bid  a  sum  for  our  hiways  we  pray  to  buy  them  at 
first  hands,  and  will  pay  this  Hon'ble  Court  for  the 
same  as  much  as  ye  Court  shall  sett  upon,  and 
remain  your  honor's  most  obedient  servants. 

"  JNO.  READ." 

When  the  matter  came  before  the  Court,  Mr.  Read 
produced  several  witnesses  to  show  that  the  vendue 
was  conducted  in  an  unseemly  and  illegal  manner  ; 
amon?r  them  Mr.  J onathan  Sturges,  who  deposed  as 
follows  : 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  9 

"  Some  of  the  Company  began  to  bid  for  s'd  land, 
and  some  of  the  Company  desired  that  -Mr.  Stone 
who  was  there  present,  would  pull  out  his  watch 
and  that  the  time  for  bidding  should  be  but  ten 
minutes,  arid  the  watch  was  laid  down  on  the  table  ; 
for  a  little  time  the  people  bid  but  slowly  ;  but 
wThen  they  perceived  the  ten  minutes  to  be  near  out, 
they  began  to  bid  very  briskly,  and  when  it  come  to 
the  last  minute,  the  people  bid  more  quickly,  and  at 
the  last  they  bid  so  quick  after  one  another  that  it 
was  hard  to  distinguish  whose  bid  it  was  ;  at  the 
very  minute  the  tenth  minute  ended  ;  but  I,  stand- 
ing near  the  watch,  spoke  and  said,  '  the  time  is  out, 
audit's  Capt.  Couch's  bid,'  but  I  am  certain  Thomas 
Hill  bid  twenty  shillings  more.'  ' 

Mr.  Read  .did  not  succeed  in  his  attempt  to  have 
the  sale  set  aside,  and  the  lands  were  adjudged  to  the 
purchasers.  Captain  Couch  seems  to  have  disposed 
of  an  interest  in  a  part  of  his  purchase  to  Thomas 
Nash,  of  Fairfield,  and  in  1723  the  two  received  a 
joint  patent  for  the  same  :  this  patent  is  a  curious 
and  valuable  document  and  is  given  entire  : 

"  Whereas,  the  Governor  and  Company  of  the 
English  Colony  of  Connecticut,  in  General  Court  as- 
sembled at  Hartford,  the  8th  day  of  May  Anno 
Domini  1712,  did  order  and  enact  that  all  those  lands 
(lying  within  the  said  Colony)  between  Danbury  on 
the  north,  and  the  towns  of  Fairfield  and  Norwalk 
on  the  south,  should  be  sold  at  Public  Yendue,  and 
by  said  act  did  fully  authorize  and  empower  the 
Honblc  Nathan  Gold  and  Peter  Burr  Esq.  both  of 
the  town  of  Fairfield  aforesaid,  to  make  sale  and 
dispose  of  the  s'd  same  lands  accordingly,  and 
whereas  the  s'd  Nathan  Gold  and  Peter  Burr  in  pur- 
suance and  by  force  and  virtue  of  the  aforesaid  act, 
did  by  their  deed  in  writing,  executed  in  due  form 


10  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

bearing  date  this  first  day  of  May,  Anno  Domini, 
1723,  for  a  valuable  sum  of  money  paid  by  Samuel 
Couch  and  Thomas  Nash,  both  of  the  town  af ores' d, 
Grant,  sell,  and  convey  unto  them  the  s'd  Samuel 
Couch  and  Thomas  Nash,  one  hundred  acres  of  s'd 
land  bounded  and  butted  as  follows,  that  is  to  say, 
lying  within  six  rods  of  the  north  bounds  line  of  the 
townships  af ores' d,  and  on  both  sides  of  the  road 
that  leads  from  Norwalk  to  Danbury,  and  lying  the 
whole  length  of  the  one  hundred  acres  formerly 
laid  out  to  s'd  Thomas  Nash  and  bounded  westerly 
by  the  s'd  Thomas  Nash,  and  from  the  north  east 
corner  of  s'd  Nash,  his  bound  being  a  black  oak 
stump,  that  stands  on  the  land,  and  a  small  box 
Avood  tree  marked  in  course,  running  northerly,  sixty 
eight  degrees,  eastwardly  thirty  two  rods  to  a  white 
oak  staddle,  thence  South  forty  three  degrees  and 
thirty  minutes,  eastwardly  fifty  rods  to  a  rock,  and 
stones  on  the  same,  that  stands  on  the  eastward  side 
of  a  brook  that  runs  by  the  southerly  end  of 
Umpawaug  Hill,  between  the  s'd  brook  and  Danbury 
road,  and  from  s'd  Rock  to  run  North  sixty  eight 
degrees,  Eastwardly  eighty  six  rods  to  a  mass  of 
stones,  then  South  twenty  two  degrees,  Eastwardly, 
one  hundred  and  thirteen  rods  to  a  white  oak  sap- 
ling, marked,  standing  on  the  aforementioned  North 
bounds  line  of  ^airfield,  then  by  s'd  line  one 
hundred  and  forty  rods  up  to  the  South  East  corner 
of  s'd  Nash,  his  one  hundred  acres,  Danbury  road 
being  allowed  in  above  measure  of  six  rods  wdde,  and 
the  hiway  by  the  Township's  line  of  six  rods  wide, 
and  whereas  the  s'd  Samuel  Couch,  and  Thomas 
Xash,  have  humbly  desired  that  they  may  have  a 
particular  grant  of  s'd  Governor  and  Company  made 
(by  Patent)  unto  them,  their  heirs  and  assigns  for 
the  same  land  bounded  butted  and  described,  under 
the  seal  of  the  s'd  Colony,  know  ye  therefore,  that 
the  Governor  and  Company  of  the  s'd  Colony,  in 
pursuance,  and  by  virtue  of  the  powers  granted  unto 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING..  11 

them  by  our  late  Sovereign  Lord,  King  Charles  the 
Second  of  blessed  memory,  in,  and  by  his  Majestie's 
letters  patent  under  the  great  seal  of  England  bear- 
ing date  the  three  and  twentieth  day  of  April,  in  the 
fourteenth  year  of  his  s'd  Majestie's  Reign,  have 
given  and  granted,  and  by  these  presents,  for  them 
their  heirs  and  successors  do  give  grant,  ratifie,  and 
confirm  unto  them  the  s'd  Samuel  Couch  and  Thomas 
Nash,  their  heirs  and  assigns  forever,  all  the  s'd 
peice  or  parcell  of  land  containing  one  hundred  acres 
be  the  same  more  or  less,  butted  and  bounded  as 
af  ores' d,  and  all  and  singular,  the  woods,  timber, 
under  woods,  lands,  waters,  brooks,  ponds,  fishings, 
fowlings,  mines,  minerals  and  precious  stones,  upon 
or  within  the  s'  d  piece  or  parcell  of  land,  here  by 
granted  or  mentioned,  or  intended  to  be  granted  as 
af  ores' d,  and  all  and  singular,  the  rights,  members, 
hereditaments  and  appurtenances  of  the  same,  and 
the  reversion  or  reversions,  remainder  or  remainders, 
—profits,  privileges  whatsoever,  of  and  in  the  s'd 
peice  or  parcell  of  land  or  every  or  any  part  thereof. 
To  have  and  to  hold  the  s'd  one  hundred  acres  of 
land  hereby  granted  with  all  and  singular,  its  appur- 
tenances unto  them  the  s'  d  Samuel  Couch  and  Thomas 
Nash,  their  heirs  and  assigns  to  and  for  their  own 
proper  use,  benefit,  and  behoof  from  the  day  of  the 
date  hereof,  and  from  time  to  time,  and  at  all  times 
forever  here  after,  as  a  good,  sure,  lawful,  absolute, 
indefeasible  estate  of  Inheritance  in  Fee  simple, 
without  any  condition,  limitation,  use,  or  other 
thing  to  alter  change,  or  make  void  the  same.  To 
be  holden  of  our  Sovereign  Lord,  King  George,  his 
heirs  and  successors,  as  of  his  Majestie's  Manor  of 
East  Greenwich,  in  the  county  of  Kent,  in  the  King- 
dom of  England,  in  free  and  common  soccage  and 
not  in  cappitee,  nor  by  Knight  service  ;  they  yield- 
ing and  paying  therefor  to  our  Sovereign  Lord  the 
King,  his  heirs  and  successors  forever,  only  the  fifth 
part  of  all  the  oar  of  Gold  and  Silver,  which  from 


12  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

time  to  time,  and  at  all  times  hereafter  shall  be  •rot- 
ten, had  or  otherwise  obtained  ;  in  lien  of  all  rents, 
services,  duties  and  demands  whatsoever  according  to 
charter.  In  witness  whereof,  we  the  s'd  Governor 
and  Company  have  caused  the  Seal  of  the  s'd  Colony 
to  be  hereunto  affixed,  the  fourteenth  day  of  May, 
Anno  George,  Magna  Brittannise  &c.  Annoque  Do- 
mini 1723. 

G.  SALTOXSTALL, 

Governor. 

"  By  order  of  the  Governor, 
HEZEKIAH  WYLLYS. 

Secretary." 

Subsequently  Captain  Conch  purchased  of  the  In- 
dians a  tract  of  land  lying  in  Lonetown,  contiguous 
to  the  estate  of  Mr.  John  Read,  and  which  a  few 
years  later  he  sold  to  that  gentleman.  The  deed 
was  given  by  Chickens,  and  some  of  its  provisions 
caused  considerable  trouble  to  the  colonists  in  later 

years.     This  deed  is  as  follows  : 

• 

"  Know  all  men  whom  it  may  concern  that  1 
Chicken  an  Indian  Saggamore  living  between  Fair- 
field,  Danbury,  Ridgefield  and  Xewtown,  at  a  place 
called  Lonetown  in  the  county  of  Fairfield  in  the 
Colony  of  Connecticut,  in  2^ew  England,  for  and  in 
consideration  of  twelve  pounds,  six  shillings,  al- 
ready paid  unto  me  by  Samuel  Couch  of  Fairfield, 
husbandman,  have  given,  granted,  bargained,  sold, 
confirmed,  and  firmly  made  over  unto  said  Samuel 
Couch,  his  heirs  and  assigns  forever,  all  the  lands, 
lying,  being  and  situate  between  the  aforesaid  towns 
of  Danbury,  Fail-field,  Newtown,  and  Ridgefield, 
except  what  has  been  by  letters  patent  from  the 
Governor  and  Company  of  this  Colony  of  Connecti- 
cut made  over  unto  any  person  or  persons  or  for 
any  particular  or  public'  use.  To  have  and  to  hold 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  13 

unto  the  said  Samuel  Couch,  and  to  his  heirs  and 
assigns  forever  the  aforesaid  granted  and  described 
lands  or  unpatented  premises,  with  all  the  privi- 
leges and  appurtenances  thereunto  belonging,  or  any 
manner  of  way  appertaining,  affirming  myself  to  be 
the  true  owner,  and  sole  proprietor  of  said  land  and 
have  just,  firm,  and  only  right  to  dispose  of  the 
same.  Reserving  in  the  whole  of  tJie  same,  liberty 
for  myself  and  my  heirs  to  hunt,  fish  and. fowl 
upon  the  land  and  in  the  waters,  and  further 
•reserving  for  myself,  my  children,  and  grand 
children  and  their  posterity  the  use  of  so  much  land 
by  my  present  dwelling  house  or  wigwam  as  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  Colony  by  themselves  cr 
a  Committee  indifferently  appointed  shall  judge 
necessary  for  my  or  their  personal  improvement, 
that  is  to  say  my  Children,  children's  children 
<ni(t  posterity,  furthermore  I  the  said  Chickens 
do  covenant,  promise,  and  agree,  to  and  with  the 
said  Samuel  Couch,  that  I  the  said  Chickens,  my 
heirs,  executors,  and  administrators,  the  said  de- 
scribed lands  and  bargained  premises,  unto  the  said 
Samuel  Couch  his  heirs  etc.  against  the  claims  and 
demands  of  all  manner  of  persons  whatever,  to  war- 
rant and  forever  by  these  presents  defend.  In  con- 
firmation of  the  above  premises  I  the  said  Chickens 
set  to  my  hand  and  seal  this  18th  day  of  February 
Anno  Domini  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
twenty  four  five  Annoque  Regis,  etc." 

his 

CHICKENS,      X      Saggamore. 
mark 

But  the  proprietors  of  Redding  could  not  long  rest 
satisfied  with  the  sale  that  had  placed  in  the  hands 
of  two  men  nearly  all  the  unoccupied  lands  lying  in 
the  "  peculiar,"  and  in  1725  made  a  second  and,  so 
far  as  appears,  unsuccessful  attempt  to  reverse  the  for- 


14  HISTOEY  OF  REDDING. 

rner  decision  of  the  Court.  This  attempt  took  the 
shape  of  a  petition,  and  was  as  follows  : 

"  To  the  Honorable  tlie  General  Court  to  be  holden 
at  Hartford  on  the  Second    Thursday  of  J/^//. 

179o 

THE   EARNEST   PRAYER 

Of  the  inhabitants,  and  of  those  that  have  farms 
in  a  certain  tract  of  land  lying  between  Fairfield  and 
Danbury,  Newto\vn  and  Richfield,  with  whom  the 
Proprietary  of  a  certain  division  of  Land  in  Fairfield 
importunately  joins— 

"WHEREAS  the  Honorable  General  Assembly  of 
this  Colony  hath  in  several  of  their  Sessions,  been 
pleased  out  of  their  great  goodness  &  generosity  to 
give  unto  some  of  your  humble  Petitioners  &  to  others 
of  them  to  sell  certain  Parcells  of  Land  between  the 
aforesaid  towns  &  many  of  your  Petitioners  that 
they  might  get  a  comfortable  maintenance  &  thereby 
be  better  able  to  serve  their  country  have  removed 
from  their  former  habitations  with  great  families  of 
Children  unto  sd  Land  where  we  by  ye  blessing  <>i' 
God  on  our  Industry  have  (passed)  through  (the) 
many  difficulties  that  generally  attend  such  new  & 
Wooden  Habitations  and  have  now  yet  to  go  through, 
which  are  by  us  insuperable — but  reilecting  upon 
your  Honor's  accustomed  Goodness,  ready  protec- 
tion, and  willing  encouragement  towards  all  such 
that  have  been  under  ye  like  circumstances  as  we 
now  are,  makes  us  far  from  despairing  of  Living 
like  rational  Creatures  and  Christians  in  a  very  few 
years,  and  under  our  present  Circumstances  we 
have  often  the  neighboring  Ministers  preaching  ye 
word  of  God  to  us,  and  when  your  Honors  shall  be 
pleased  to  grant  this  our  earnest  &  necessary  request 
our  number  of  Inhabitants  will  immediately  be 
greatly  renewed  &  we  soon  able  to  obtain  a  Minister 
&  give  him  an  honorable  support — and  that  is  to 
grant  the  vacant  land  that  lies  in  slips  and  pieces 
between  ye  Land  already  given  and  sold  to  your 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  15 

Petitioners  to  lye  for  a  perpetual  Comon  for  ye  good 
of  ye  Parish  :  otherwise  your  poor  Petitioners  living 
at  a  great  distance  from  any  place  where  the  public 
worship  of  God  is  attended,  must  be  obliged  and 
their  Posterity  after  them  to  be  soon  as  the  Hathen 
are — without  the  outward  and  ordinary  means  of  Sal- 
vation, the  Thought  of  which  makes  us  now  most 
importunately  address  your  Honors  with  this  our 
Request  making  no  doubt  but  yt  ye  desire  your 
Honors  have  &  the  great  care  you  have  always  taken 
to  promote  &  encourage  Religion — will  also  now  be 
moved  to  grant  your  poor  Petitioners  their  Request, 
it  being  no  more  than  your  Honors  have  often  done 
even  unto  every  new  Plantation,  many  of  which  are 
not  nor  never  will  be  comparable  unto  this.  Your 
Honors,  granting  us  this  our  Request,  and  it  will 
be  as  we  humbly  conceive  the  most  profitable  way 
for  ye  good  of  this  Colony  to  dispose  of  ye  land  for 
a  perpetual  comon,  for  ye  good  of  a  Parish  than  any 
other  way  whatsoever  :  for  a  flourishing  and  large 
Parish  such  as  we  are  assured  this  will  make  will 
soon  pay  more  into  ye  Public  Treasury  than  the 
whole  of  the  Land  would  do  if  it  were  now  to  be 
sold  :  and  not  only  so,  but  your  poor  Petitioners  & 
their  Posterity  preserved  from  Heathenism  &  Infidel- 
ity :  for  if  your  Honors  should  not  grant  the  Land 
for  a  common  for  the  good  of  a  Parish  your  poor 
Petitioners — the  most  of  us  at  least,  must  be  shut 
within  the  compass  of  our  own  land,  &  cant  pos- 
sibly get  off  unless  we  trespass,  or  gain  the  shift  yt 
the  birds  of  the  air  have,  neither  to  market  nor  meet- 
ing &  we  &  our  Posterity  forever  unable  to  have  a 
settled  Minister  &  your  Honors  may  easily  conceive 
how  greatly  disadvantageous  to  our  Temporal  In- 
terest, which  is  so  great  an  act  of  cruelty  and  hard- 
ship that  never  yet  was  experienced  from  your  Hon- 
ors &  your  Petitioners  humbly  beg  they  may  not : 
but  yt  they  may  be  sharers  with  their  neighbors  in 
your  Honor's  thoughtful  care  and  regard  for  them  — 
"  And  if  your  Honors  in  their  Prudence  and  Wis- 


16  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

dom  shall  think  it  best  to  sell  the  aforesaid  Land 
your  Petitioners  humbly  beg  they  may  have  the 
first  offer  of  it,  who  are  always  ready  to  give  as 
much  as  any  shall  or  will  let  it  lye  for  a  perpetual 
Common,  &  your  humble  Petitioners  beg  and  most 
earnestly  desire  the  Land  may  not  be  sold  from 
their  doors  or  confirmed  to  any  yt  pretend  they 
have  bought  it :  for  whatever  pretended  sale  there 
has  been  made  thereof  already  we  humbly  conceive 
that  it  was  not  with  the  proper  Power  &  Legality 
that  it  ought  to  be  confirmed  :  and  as  for  its  being 
purchased  of  the  Indian  (who  both  English  and  In- 
dian acknowledge  has  a  good  Indian  title  to  it  viz. 
Chicken,  is  by  what  we  can  learn  by  the  Indian  him- 
self &  ye  circumstances  of,  a  sligh  peice  of  policy  & 
we  fear  Deceit,  ye  latter  of  which  the  Indian  con- 
stantly affirms  it  to  be,  for  his  design  as  he  saitli. 
and  being  well  acquainted  with  him,  living  many  of  us 
near  him  have  great  reason  to  believe  him,  was  to 
sell  but  a  small  Quantity,  about  two  or  three  hundred 
acres,  but  in  ye  deed  ye  whole  of  the  land  is  compre 
h ended,  which  when  the  Indian  heard  of  it  he  was 
greatly  enraged,  and  your  Petitioners  humbly  beg 
yt  such  a  sale  may  not  be  confirmed,  lest  it  prove 
greatly  disadvantageous  to  this  Colony  &  cause 
much  bloodshed,  as  instances  of  ye  like  nature  have 
in  all  Probability  in  our  neighboring  Provinces  — 

"  Your  Petitioners  most  earnestly  &  heartily  beg 
that  your  Honors  would  think  on  them  &  grant  them 
their  request,  &  your  Petitioners  as  in  duty  bound 
shall  ever  pray— 

JOHN  READ,  WILL'M  HILL, 

THOMAS  WILLIAMS,  DAN'LL  CROFOOT, 

STEPHEN  MOREIIOUSE,  EBENEZER  HULL, 

BENJAMIN  HAMBLETON,  ASA  HALL, 

BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN,  JOSEPH  MEEKER, 

MOSES  KNAPP,  DAN'L  LYON, 

NATHAN  LYON,  THOMAS  HILL, 

BENAJAH  HALL,  GEORGE  HULL. 

"  And  we,  ye  Proprietors  of  a  certain  Division  of 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  17 

Land  in  Fairfield  called  ye  Long-lots  most  heartily 
join  with  your  Honor's  above  Petitioners  in  their 
needful  Request  to  you,  &  as  we  your  humble  pe- 
titioners being  well  acquainted  with  the  circumstances 
of  them — they  being  our  Children  Friends  &  Neigh- 
bors &  concerned  greatly  for  their  welfare  do  ear- 
nestly beg  that  your  Honors  would  consider  how 
melancholy  a  thing  it  is,  that  these  poor  people 
should  live  destitute  of  the  means  of  grace  for  want 
only  of  your  small  encouragement  which  to  give  them 
would  not  only  be  most  certainly  very  pleasing  to 
Almighty  God  but  would  likewise  enrich  this  Colony 
if  a  large  &  Rich  Parish  will  any  ways  contribute 
thereto,  &  as  your  Petitioners  Land  runs  to  &  ad- 
joy  ns  to  ye  aforesaid  Vacant  Land,  We  for  the  good 
of  a  Parish,  thereby  to  advantage  your  above  poor 
Petitioners  are  willing  &  very  ready  to  give  in  Two 
miles  of  our  land  adjoining  to  the  af ores' d  Vacant 
Land  to  be  within  the  Parish  ;  &  are  assured  if  your 
Honors  would  grant  the  afores'd  Land  to  be  for  a 
Comon  there  soon  would  be  a  Flourishing  Parish  ; 
&  being  so  well  acquainted  with  the  Circum- 
stances of  the  above  Petitioners  that  we  cant  but 
earnestly  &  Pathetically  entreat  your  Honors  to 
grant  their  Request. 

"  &  your  Petitioners  as  in  Duty  bound  shall  ever 
Pray:" 

MOSES  DIMON,  JOSEPH  WILSON, 

JOHN  HIDE,  JOHN  WHEELER, 

Tuo.  HILL,  JOHN  STURGES, 

CORNELIUS  HULL,  JOSEPH  WHEELER, 

ELIZABETH  BURR,  THOMAS  SANFORD, 

JONA  STURGIS,  JOHN  MOREIIOUSE, 

JOHN  SMITH,  JOSEPH  ROWLAND, 

TIIAD'S  BURR,  WILLIAM  HILL, 

ANDREW  BURR,  NATHAN  GOLD, 

SAMUEL  WAKEMAN,  JOHN  GOLD, 

SAMUEL  SQUIRES,  ROBERT  SILLIMAN, 

EZEKIEL  SANFORD,  DANIEL  MOREIIOUSE. 

ROBERT  TURNEY,  JR., 
3 


18  H1STORJ  OF  REDDING. 

The  settlement  of  Georgetown  seems  to  have  been 
begun  at  about  the  same  time  as  the  other  portions 
of  the  town,  though  the  present  village  has  had  but 
a  short  existence. 

The  first  settlers  in  that  section  seem  to  have  been 
Benjamin  and  Isaac  Rumsey,  one  of  whom  lived  in 
a  house  that  stood  in  the  old  orchard  east  of  Aaron 
Osborne's,  and  the  other  near  the  site  of  the  present 
homestead  of  Mr.  S.  M.  Main.  As  early  as  1721 
Robert  Rumsey,  of  Fairfield,  bought  of  John  Apple- 
gate  a  large  tract  of  land  located  in  what  is  now  the 
village  of  Georgetown.  In  1724  he  willed  this  land 
to  his  three  sons,  Benjamin,  Isaac,  and  Robert.  Ben- 
jamin and  Isaac  were  actual  settlers  on  this  tract. 
and  the  former's  estate  was  inventoried  and  dis- 
tributed in  1744. 

The  earliest  settlers  located  their  houses  on  the 
three  fertile  ridges  that  now  form  the  most  strik- 
ing as  well  as  beautiful  features  of  our  landscape. 
The  valleys  were  avoided,  as  being  literally  in  the 
shadow  of  death  from  the  miasms  which  they  en- 
gendered ;  the  hills,  according  to  the  early  writers, 
were  open,  dry,  and  fertile,  ^and,  being  compara- 
tively healthful,  were  in  almost  all  cases  selected  as 
sites  for  the  infant  settlements.  At  that  day  they 
were  covered,  like  the  valleys,  with  continuous  for- 
ests of  oak,  chestnut,  hickory,  and  other  native 
woods,  from  which  every  autumn  the  Indians  re- 
moved the  underbrush  by  burning,  so  that  they  as- 
sumed the  appearance  of  natural  parks :  Indian 
paths  wound  through  the  forest,  often  selected  with 
so  much  engineering  skill  as  to  be  followed  later 
by  the  highways  of  the  set  tiers.  There  were  "  long- 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  10 

drawn  aisles  and  fretted  vaults"  in  these  verdant 
temples,  nooks  of  outlook,  and  open,  sunny  glades, 
which  were  covered  with  tufts  of  long  coarse  grass  ; 
groves  of  chestnut  and  hickory  afforded  shelter  to 
whole  colonies  of  squirrels — black,  gray,  and  red. 
Other  game  was  abundant.  Deer,  wild  turkeys, 
water  fowl,  quail,  partridges,  an  occasional  bear,  and, 
in  the  autumn,  immense  flocks  of  wild  pigeons  dark- 
ened the  air  with  their  numbers.  Panthers  were 
seen  rarely  ;  wolves  were  abundant,  and  the  otter 
and  beaver  fished  and  builded  in  the  rivers.  Both 
tradition  and  the  written  accounts  agree  in  ascribing 
to  the  rivers  an  abundance  of  fish  :  Little  River  is 
especially  mentioned  as  being  the  favorite  home  of 
the  trout,  and  tradition  asserts  that  scarcely  four 
generations  ago  they  were  so  abundant  in  that 
stream  that  the  Indian  boys  would  scoop  them  up 
in  the  shallows  with  their  hands. 

According  to  tradition,  the  three  first  houses  in  the 
town  were  built  nearly  at  the  same  time.  One  was  in 
Boston  district,  where  Mr.  Noah  Lee's  house  now 
stands,  the  second  in  the  centre,  on  the  site  of  Captain 
Davis1  s  present  residence,  and  the  third  in  Lonetown, 
built  by  Mr.  John  Read,  and  which  occupied  the  site 
of  Mr.  Aaron  Treadwell' s  present  residence.  It  is  re- 
lated of  the  lady  of  the  house  in  the  Boston  district, 
that,  becoming  frightened  one  day  at  the  conduct  of 
a  party  of  Indians  who  entered  her  house  bearing  an 
animal  unmentionable  to  ears  polite,  which  they 
ordered  her  to  cook,  she  seized  her  babe,  and  fled 
with  it  two  miles  through  the  forest  path  to  her 
nearest  neighbor  at  the  Centre,  arriving  there  safe- 
ly, though  breathless  and  exhausted.  It  is  fair 
to  assume,'  however,  that  erelong  neighbors  were 


20  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

nearer.  Settlers  began  to  flock  in  from  Stratford, 
Fairfield,  and  Norwalk  ;  several  families  moved  here 
from  Ridgefield  and  Danbury,  and  the  settlement 
began  to  assume  quite  the  appearance  of  a  popu- 
lous community.  It  is  not,  however,  until  1723  that 
we  get  any  authentic  record  of  the  names  of  the  in- 
habitants or  of  their  entire  number.  In  that  year  a 
petition  was  presented  to  the  General  Court  praying 
that  the  settlement  might  be  constituted  a  parish  ; 
and  which  bears  the  signatures  of  twenty-fire  of  the 
planters  or  settlers  of  Redding.  This  invaluable 
paper  has  been  preserved  in  the  State  Archives  at 
Hartford,  and  is  as  follows  : 

' '  May  9th,  1723.     At  a  General  Court  in  Hartford. 

"  To  tlie  Horfble  tlie  Gov'nr,  Assistants  and  Dep- 
uties in  Gertll  Court  Assembled. 

"  To  this  Hon'ble  Court  yr  hon'rs  most  humble 
pet'rs  hereunto  subscribing,  settlers  and  well  wishers 
to  the  settlement  of  a  plantation  between  Fairfield 
and  Danbury,  Humbly  Shew,  That  there  is  a  Tract 
of  land  lying  between  Fairfield  and  Danbury,  Ridge- 
field  and  Newtown  and  without  all  ye  claims  of  the 
largest  pretenders  of  those  towns,  containing  about 
two  miles  wide,  north  and  south,  and  six  miles  long- 
East  and  West,  mostly  laid  out  in  particular  farms, 
so  that  when  the  farms  that  casually  interfere  on 
others  are  made  up,  there  will  not  be  one  hundred 
acres  of  any  value  left  in  the  whole. 

"  On  these  farms  are  one  half  dozen  housen  set  up, 
and  many  more  going  to  be  set  up,  and  therefore  we 
humbly  conceive  it  is  of  great  necessity  for  ye  use  of 
them,  that  are  come  and  coming,  and  for  ye  incour- 
agement  of  others  to  come,  to  take  some  prudent 
care  for  the  establishment  of  Divine  service  in  that 
place.  That  forasmuch  as  the  distance  from  this 
land  to  Fairfield  church  measures  about  fourteen 
miles  or  better,  that  is  the  part  on  which  will  cer- 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  21 

fainly  be  most  of  the  inlargement  made,  and  on  that 
side  the  bounds  of  those  lands  uncertain  ;  for  the 
grant  of  12  miles  from  the  sea  given  to  Fail-field,  as 
far  as  we  can  learn  has  never  yet  been  measured,  as 
it  ought  long  since  to  have  been  done.  Your  hon'rs 
pet'rs  therefore  humbly  pray  that  a  Com' tee  may 
be  appointed  to  measure  out  the  twelve  miles  granted 

to  Fairfield  from  the  • and  put  the  vacant  land, 

if  any  shall  then  appear  into  the  hands  of  a  Com' tee 
of  ye  Court  to  be  dealt  out  to  such  as  will  settle  on 
and  improve  the  same,  at  such  price  as  will  bear  ye 
charge  of  ye  Com' tee  therein,  first  laying  out  a  farm 
of  200  acres  for  ye  ministry,  200  for  a  school,  and  as 
much  for  the  first  minister  that  shall  settle  there, 
and  annex  the  whole  to  the  town  of  Fairfield.  Set- 
tling the  bounds  of  the  parish  to  comprehend  so 
much  of  the  west  end  of  ye  long  lots  of  Fairfield  as 
may  make  it  near  square  at  ye  discretion  of  ye 
Com"  tee  upon  ye  view  of  it  when  ye  proprietors  of 
the  long  lots  shall  settle  their  end  they  may  pay 
their  dues  there  (if  they  will  not  be  so  good  as  to 
tiing  up  the  west  end  to  a  public  use,  which  would 
doubtless  be  their  private  advantage  also. 

"  Yr  hon'rs  most  humble  pet'rs, 

NATHAN  PICKET,  THOMAS  WILLIAMS, 

(TERSIIOM  MOREHOUSE,  ASA  HALL, 

JOHN'  HALL,  JOSHUA  HULL, 

FRANCIS  HALL,  DAVID  CROFUT, 

ROBERT  CHAUNCEY,  JNO.  READ, 

WOLCOTT  CHAUNCEY,  ISAIAH  HULL, 

DANIEL  —  MOSES  KNAPP, 

WILLIAM  HILL,  JR.,  BENJAMIN  STURGES, 

PHILLIP  JUDD,  SAM'L  HALL, 

NATHAN  ADAMS,  JOHN  READ,  2d, 

STEPHEN  MOREIIOUSE,  BURGESS  HALL, 
BENJAMIN  FAYERWEATHER,      ISAAC  HALL. 
THOMAS  BAILEY," 

*  Illegible. 


22  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

Fairfield,  as  was  to  be  expected,  opposed  the 
petition,  and  her  potent  influence  defeated  the  meas- 
ure, and  although  it  was  agitated  year  by  year,  it 
was  not  until  1729  that  the  petitioners  effected  their 
object,  and  the  little  settlement  blossomed  into  the 
dignity  of  a  parish. 

The  action  of  the  General  Court  constituting  it  a 
Parish  is  thus  recorded  in  the  Colonial  Records,  vol. 
vii.  pp.  231-2 : 

"  Upon  the  memorial  of  John  Read,  in  behalf  of 
himself  and  the  rest  of  the  inhabitants  of  Lonetown, 
Chestnutt  Ridge,  and  the  peculiar  between  Fairfield 
and  Danbury,  shewing  to  this  Assembly,  the  great 
difficulty  they  labor  under  in  attending  on  the  publick 
worship  of  God,  and  the  forwardness  of  the  to^\n  of 
Fairfield  to  encourage  them  to  set  up  the  publick 
worship  of  God  among  themselves,  by  conceding 
that  two  miles  of  the  rear  end  of  their  long  lots  be 
added  to  them,  in  order  to  the  making  them  a  par- 
ish, and  praying  this  Assembly  that  they  may  be 
allowed  to  be  a  society  for  the  worship  of  God,  with 
the  privileges  usually  granted  to  such  societies  or 
parishes,  and  that  said  society  or  parish  may  com- 
prize those  lands  that  lie  encirculed  betwixt  the  town- 
ships of  Fairfield,  Danbury,  Newtown  and  Ridge- 
field,  together  with  the  aforesaid  two  miles  of  Fair- 
lield long  lots  ;  and  that  they  may  have  remitted  to 
them  their  country  rate  during  the  pleasure  of  this 
Assembly  ;  and  that  all  the  lands  aforesaid  may  be 
taxed  by  the  order  of  said  Assembly,  and  that  said 
parish  may  be  annexed  to  Fairfield,  and  that  it  be 
named  Redding.  This  Assembly  grants  that  the 
said  Lonetown,  Chestnutt  Ridge  and  the  peculiar 
thereof,  be  a  society  or  parish  by  themselves,  and  to 
have  all  the  privileges  usually  granted  to  societies  or 
parishes,  and  that  said  society  or  parish  shall  com- 
Di'ize  all  those  lands  that  lie  encirculed  betwixt  the 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  23 

townships  of  Fair-field,  Danbury,  Newtown,  and 
Ridgefield,  together  with  two  miles  of  the  rear  end 
of  Fairfield  long  lots.  Furthermore  this  Assembly 
doth  remit  to  them  their  country  rate  for  four 
years,  excluding  those  only  who  decline  to  joyn  with 
them  for  what  is  prayed  for,  of  being  released  of 
country  tax  ;  and  that  all  the  laid  out,  unimproved 
lands  within  the  limits  of  said  parish  be  taxed  at  six 
shillings  a  Imndred  acres  per  year  for  four  years,  and 
that  the  money  raised  thereby  be  improved  for  the 
defraying  the  ministerial  charges  among  them  in 
that  place  ;  and  that  said  parish  be  named  Red- 
ding." 


CHAPTER  II. 

REDDING  AS  A   PARISH. 

THE  parish  history  of  Redding  covers  a  space  of 
thirty-eight  years,  and  for  this  period  the  only 
materials  we  have  for  our  history— except  a  few  en- 
tries in  the  records  of  the  colony — are  found  in  the 
record  book  of  the  First  Church  and  Society.  These 
records  seem  to  have  been  kept  with  the  most  piti- 
less brevity  ;  only  the  barest  details  were  set  down, 
and  if  one  desires  more  than  the  dry  facts  of  this 
era,  he  must  draw  on  his  imagination  for  material. 
During  this  period  events  happened  of  the  greatest 
moment  to  the  colony.  Three  of  the  terrible  French 
and  Indian  wars  occurred,  to  which  Redding  contrib- 
uted her  full  share  of  men  and  money,  although 
Fairfield  received  the  credit.  Then  there  were  con- 
stant alarms  of  Indians  on  the  border — there  were 


24  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

hunting  and  exploring  parties  into  the  wilderness, 
under  the  guidance  of  the  friendly  Indians,  and  the 
usual  incidents  of  pioneer  life  ;  all  of  which  would 
have  been  vastly  entertaining  to  the  men  of  to-day, 
and  which  a  hundred  years  ago  might  have  been 
taken  down  from  the  lips  of  the  actors  themselves, 
but  which  has  passed  away  with  them  forever. 
Things  spoken  vanish,  while  things  written  remain, 
and  the  unfriendliness  to  the  pen,  of  the  early  set- 
tlers, has  entailed  a  sad  loss  upon  their  descendants. 
It  is  evident,  however,  that  this  was  the  busiest  pe- 
riod in  the  history  of  the  town.  The  men  were 
abroad  in  the  clearings  from  morn  till  night,  felling 
the  trees,  burning,  ploughing,  sowing,  and  reaping, 
or  building  churches,  school-houses,  mills,  high- 
ways, and  bridges.  The  women  remained  in  the 
rude  cottages,  preparing  the  simple  food,  carding 
and  spinning  wool,  weaving  it  into  cloth,  fashioning 
the  homely  garments  of  linsey-woolsey  and  home- 
spun, and  rearing  their  large  families  of  rosy,  health- 
ful children.  This  is  the  picture  in  the  barest  out- 
line ;  the  imagination  of  the  reader  will  fill  it  out  at 
pleasure :  but,  as  before  said,  for  our  details— 
acknowledged  facts — we  must  turn  to  the  quaint  and 
musty  records  of  the  Society. 

The  first  Society  meeting  was  held  June  oth,  1729 
—less  than  a  month  after  the  parish  was  organized. 
A  fuller  account  of  this  meeting  will  be  found  in 
the  history  of  the  First  Church  and  Society.  The 
three  first  committee-men  of  the  parish,  elected  at 
this  meeting,  were  John  Read,  George  Hull,  and 
Lemuel  Sanford.  At  this  time,  too,  the  "  places  for 
setting  up  warnings  for  Society  meetings"  were  de- 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  25 

termined  on  as  follows  :  "In  the  lane  by  Ebenezer 
Hull,  and  a  Chestnut  tree  by  Mr.  John  Reads,  and 
a  post  set  np  by  Moses  Knaps  :"  These  were  the  first 
sign-posts  in  the  town.  •  Ebenezer  Hull's  house  I  am 
unable  to  locate.  Mr.  John  Read's  house  has  al- 
ready been  located.  Mr.  Knap  lived  probably  where 
James  Kerwick  now  lives. 

The  next  February  a  parish  rate  or  tax  of  2d. 
2  far.  on  the  pound  was  laid,  and  John  Hull  was  ap- 
pointed the  first  tax-collector  ;  he  received  for  gath- 
ering the  rate  fourteen  shillings.  The  next  year, 
February  23d,  1730-1,  the  rate  had  risen  to  9d.  on 
the  pound,  and  John  Read  appears  as  collector. 
The  next  year,  1732,  the  first  "  pound"  was  built  by 
Mr.  John  Read,  near  his  house,  and  at  a  Society 
meeting  held  January  25th,  1732,  he  was  appointed 
"-key-keeper."  May  8th,  1732,  they  petitioned  the 
General  Court  to  have  their  north-west  corner 
bounds  settled,  Captain  Couch  bearing  the  charges. 
The  same  meeting  they  voted  "  that  there  shall  be 
but  one  sign-post  in  this  society,"  and  voted  that 
this  sign-post  should  be  by  the  meeting-house, 
which  had  been  built  the  preceding  year  on  the  com- 
mon. Mr.  Hun,  the  first  minister,  was  settled  early 
in  1733,  and  the  rates  that  year  rose  to  the  high  fig- 
ure of  one  shilling  on  the  pound.  A  very  important 
entry  appears  on  the  records  of  a  meeting  held  Octo- 
ber 17th,  1734,  wrherein  Stephen  Burr  and  Thomas 
Williams  were  appointed  a  committee  to  the  County 
Court  to  desire  the  court  to  choose  a  committee  to 
lay  out  the  county  road  from  Chestnut  Ridge  to 
Fairfield  town.  This  road  was  probably  the  first 
ever  laid  out  through  the  town,  and  passed  through 


26  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

Lonetown,  the  Centre,  and  Sanford  town,  and  thence 
nearly  direct  to  Fairfield. 

December  10th,  1735. — Stephen  Burr  was  appointed 
a  committee  to  go  to  the  County  Court,  and  desire 
them  to  send  a  committee  to  lay  out  necessary  high- 
ways in  that  part  of  the  parish  above  the  long  lots. 

January  26th,  1737. — "  Joseph  Sanford  and  Samuel 
Sanford  were  appointed  a  committee  to  take  charge 
of  the  parsonage  money  belonging  to  said  parish, 
giving  a  receipt  to  said  parish,  and  to  let  the  same 
at  their  discretion,  and  to  the  best  advantage,  taking 
double  security  in  land,  and  not  to  let  less  than  fifty 
pounds  to  one  man,  and  for  no  longer  time  than  five 
years,  and  said  committee  shall  be  accountable  to 
the  parish  committee  for  the  interest  of  said  money, 
and  also  at  the  period  of  abovesaid  term  of  five 
years,  for  the  principal." 

December  26th,  1737. — It  was  "  voted  to  have  a  par- 
ish schole,  voted  to  maintain  s'd  schole  by  a  parish 
rate  voted  that  John  Read,  Joseph  Lees,  Joseph 
Sanford,  John  Hull,  Matthew  Lion,  Stephen  More- 
house,  and  Daniel  Lion,  shall  be  a  com'tee  for  s'd 
schole,  also  that  s'd  schole  shall  be  divided  into  three 
parts,  that  is  to  say,  five  months  in  that  quarter 
called  the  Ridge,  and  five  months  in  the  west  side 
of  the  parish  near  the  mill,  and  two  months  at  Lone- 
town,  understanding  that  the  centre  of  division  is 
the  meeting  hous,  and  likewise  that  Stephen  Bun- 
belongs  to  the  west  side. ' '  Thus  was  established  the 
first  school.  Subsequent  action  of  the  parish  in  this 
direction  will  be  found  in  the  chapter  on  Schools. 

At  the  above  meeting,  John  Read,  Esq. ,  was  cho- 
sen to  represent  the  society,  "  to  pray  for  to  be  relest 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  2? 

from  paying  county  rates."  The  action  of  the  Gen- 
eral Court  on  this  petition  is  given  in  Colonial  Rec- 
ords, vol.  viii.,  p.  176,  as  follows- :  "  Upon  the  memo- 
rial of  the  Presbyterian  society  in' the  parish  of  Read- 
ing in  Fairfield  County  setting  forth  to  this  Assembly 
their  low  circumstances,  and  praying  a  remission  of 
their  country  tax  :  this  Assembly  do  grant  unto  the 
said  society  their  country  tax  for  the  space  of  four 
years  next  coming." 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  bill  organizing  the 
parish  in  1729  exempted  it  from  country  rates  for 
four  years.  In  1733  the  Assembly  granted  them  a 
further  release  of  four  years,  and  also  imposed  a 
11  tax  of  three  shillings  per  one  hundred  acres,  on  a,ll 
unimproved  lands  laid  out  in  said  society  ,for  the 
space  of  four  years,  to  be  exclusive  of  those  lands 
belonging  to  persons  of  the  episcopal  persuasion 
(who)  by  our  law  are  discharged  from  paying  taxes 
for  the  support  of  the  ministry  allowed  by  the  laws 
of  this  Colony." 

When  the  next  quadrennium  began  in  1741,  the 
parish  seems  to  have  been  on  a  better  financial  foot- 
ing, and  no  further  taxes  were  remitted.  Apropos 
to  the  above,  it  may  be  remarked  that  in  1737  the 
parish  rates  had  risen  to  Is.  Id.  on  the  pound. 
Continuing  our  extracts  from  the  parish  records,  we 
find  at  a  meeting  held  August  22d,  1738,  that  "  it 
was  voted  to  try  for  town  privileges  in  s'd  Society/' 
and  Stephen  Burr  was  chosen  agent  "  to  see  if  the 
town  (i.e.  Fairfield)  will  consent  that  s'd  Society  shall 
have  town  privileges." 

This  entry  gives  a  hint  of  the  rapid  growth  of  the 
settlement,  and  of  the  energy  and  enterprise  of  its  in- 


28  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

habitants.  There  were  many  reasons  why  they  desir- 
ed a  separation  :  Fairfield  was  fourteen  miles  distant, 
and  the  interests  of  the  two  were  distinct ;  then  they 
must  go  to  Fairfield  to  vote,  to  pay  taxes,  and  to 
record  deeds  and  conveyances.  They  could  not  even 
have  their  necessary  highways  laid  out  without  the 
consent  of  that  town  ;  hence  we  find  them  making- 
early  and  persistent  efforts  for  town  privileges,  so 
effectually  opposed,  however,  by  the  mother  town, 
that  it  was  not  until  twenty-nine  years  after  that  the 
town  was  organized. 

In  this  year,  1739,  the  place  for  putting  up  warn- 
ings for  the  society's  meetings  was  changed  from 
Umpawaug  to  the  mill-door.  In  the  vote  establish- 
ing a  school  in  1737,  reference  is  made  to  the  mill, 
and  it  is  evident  that  it  was  erected  at  'a  very  early 
date.  The  miller  and  the  blacksmith  were  very 
necessary  artisans  in  a  new  settlement,  and  grants  of 
land  were  in  many  cases  made  to  induce  them  to  set- 
tle :  if  such  was  the  fact  in  Redding  no  record  of  it 
remains.  According  to  tradition,  the  first  miller  was 
Jabez  Burr,  and  the  first  mill  stood  on  the  Saiiga- 
tuck,  near  the  present  dwelling  of  Stephen  Burr,  a 
short  distance  above  where  the  Kobbs  Crook  m id 
crosses  the  stream. 

October  1st,  1740,  it  was  voted  to  try  and  get  liberty 
to  have  the  north  of  Redding  set  off  for  a  town,  and 
in  December  "  to  have  a  pound  erected  on  the  high- 
way southwest  of  Ebenezer  Ferry's  barn  provided 
he  will  build  it  on  his  own  charge,"  also  voted  that 
"  Ebenezer  Ferry  be  key  keeper  of  the  pound  and 
have  the  profits  of  it."  This  was  the  second  pound 
erected  in  the  parish,  the  first  being  at  Mr.  John 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  20 

Read's.  In  1741  they  again  voted  to  ask  the  consent 
of  the  town,  that  ' '  we  may  have  town  privileges. ' ' 

No  further  entries  of  importance  appear  until 
1746,  when  Joseph  Sanford  was  appointed  agent  for 
the  parish  to  "  petition  the  Superior  Court  now  sit- 
ting in  Fairfield  to  appoint  a  committee  to  lay  out 
highways  through  the  lands  granted  to  Gapt. 
Couch  and  Company  in  s'd  parish"  (these  lands  were 
in  Umpawaug).  In  1747  a  list  of  the  parish  officers 
is  given.  They  were  as  follows  :  Lemuel  Sanford, 
selectman  ;  Adam  Clark,  constable  ;  Daniel  Meeker, 
David  Knapp,  grand-jurymen ;  Thomas  Taylor, 
James  Gray,  James  Morgain,  Joseph  Hawley,  Jos- 
eph Bradley,  Jabez  Burr,  surveyors  of  highway  ; 
Ebenezer  Couch,  Thomas  Taylor,  listers  ;  William 
Burritt,  John  Mallory,  tithing  men ;  Lieutenant 
Stephen  Burr,  Joseph  Hawley,  fence  viewers  ;  Al- 
len Lee,  key-keeper  for  the  pound. 

January  23d,  1749,  it  was  voted  that  "  Ephraim 
Jackson  shall  procure  a  copy  of  the  doings  of  the 
General  Assembly  concerning  highways  in  the  coun- 
try in  this  parish,"  and  at  the  same  time  complaint 
was  made  against  Daniel  Deane,  the  Society's  col- 
lector for  the  year  previous,  for  his  "mismanage- 
ment "  in  collecting  the  rate,  and  it  was  voted  "  that 
the  committee  shall  prosecute  him  in  case  he  shall 
not  satisfy  them."  This  action  seems  to  have  been 
carried  to  Mr.  Deane  at  once,  for  he  the  next  day 
makes  this  humble  apology  : 

"  REDDTHG,  January  24,  1749. 

u  To  Mr.  Jehu  Burr,  Mr.  RtepJien  Betts.  and  Mr. 
Samuel  Sanford,  Committee  men  for  said  Red- 
ding : 

"  GENTLEMEN,  I  understand  vou   have  declared 


30  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

that  there  is  some  mismanagement  in  the  rale  that  I 
have  to  gather  in  the  year  1748,  and  you  seem  to 
think  that  T  have  done  the  same,  and  if  yon  insist 
upon  it,  I  desire  your  forgiveness  :  in  so  doing  y<m 
will  much  oblige  your  humble  servant. 

"  DANIEL  DE AXE." 

In  1754  the  parish  again  applied  for  town  privi- 
leges without  success,  and  again  in  1757  with  a  like 
result. 

The  next  attempt  in  1766  was  successful,  and  the 
Assembly  of  1767  passed  the  long-desired  act  of  in- 
corporation. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  nothing  is  said  in  the  rec- 
ords concerning  the  tribe  of  Indians  inhabiting  the 
parish,  but  from  other  sources  we  learn  that  quite 
important  changes  had  taken  place  among  them. 
Their  chief,  Chickens,  after  causing  the  settlers  no 
little  trouble  concerning  the  deeds  which  he  had 
given  them,  had  been  induced  in  1749  to  remove 
with  most  of  his  tribe  to  Scattacook.  in  New  Mil- 
ford,  and  there  were  now  but  a  few  scattered  fami- 
lies remaining  in  the  town.  No  less  than  three  peti- 
tions of  Chickens,  complaining  of  the  injustice  of 
the  settlers,  are  preserved  in  the  Colonial  Records. 
The  first,  presented  to  the  General  Court  of  May, 
1735,  asked  that  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of 
his  deed  to  Samuel  Couch  in  1725,  the  Assembly 
would  appoint  a  committee  to  lay  out  to  him.  his 
children,  children's  children,  and  their  posterity.  s«> 
much  land  near  his  wigwam  as  they  should  deem 
necessary  for  his  and  their  personal  improvement ; 
and  the  Assembly  appointed  such  a  committee. 

No  report  of  the  action  of  this  committee  is  pre- 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  31 

served  in  the  archives  ;  but  ten  years  later,  in  1745, 
Chickens  again  petitioned  the  Assembly  to  appoint 
a  committee  to  view  his  lands  for  the  same  purpose, 
and  the  Assembly  appointed  such  a  committee  "  to 
repair  to  and  upon  said  land,  and  having  due  regard 
to  said  deed  of  conveyance,  with  the  savings  and  res- 
ervations therein  contained,  to  survey  and  by  proper 
meets  and  bounds  set  out  for,  and  to  the  use  of 
the  memorialist  and  his  children,  such  and  so  much 
of  said  lands  as  they  shall  be  of  opinion— (on  hear- 
ing all  parties  or  persons  therein  concerned)  ought 
to  be  allowed  and  set  out  to  said  memorialist  and  his 
children.  The  third  and  last  memorial,  presented  in 
1749,  is  a  very  interesting  document,  and  is  given  in 
full. 

"  The  memorial  of  Capt.  Chicken  alias  Sam.  Mo- 
hawk of  Reading  in  Fairfield  county,  shewing  to  this 
Assembly  that  in  his  deed  formerly  made  to  Capt. 
Samuel  Couch,  late  of  Fairfield,  deceased,  of  his  land 
lying  between  the  township  of  said  Fairfield,  and 
Danbury,  Ridgefield  and  Newtown,he  had  reserved  to 
himself  so  much  of  said  land  as  a  committee,  appoint- 
ed by  this  Assembly,  should  judge  should  be  suffi- 
cient for  himself,  his  children  and  posterity,  for  their 
personal  improvement,  which  said  reserve  has  since 
been  set  out  by  proper  meets  and  bounds  in  two 
pieces,  containing  in  the  whole  about  one  hundred 
acres  as  per  the  surveys  thereof  may  appear,  reference 
thereunto  being  had  :  and  showing  also  that  John 
Read  Esq.  late  of  Boston  deceased,  had  surveyed, 
and  laid  out  to  him  two  hundred  acres  of  land  by  the 
appointment  of  this  Assembly,  at  a  place  called  Scat- 
tacook  bounded  as  in  the  survey  thereof  on  record  : 
and  also  shewing  that  the  land  aforesaid,  laid  out  to 
the  said  John  Read  Esq.  is  much  more  convenient 
and  advantageous  for  him,  the  said  Chicken,  being 


32  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

well  situated  for  fishing  and  hunting,  and  that  he 
had  made  and  executed  a  deed  of  exchange  of  his 
aforesaid  hundred  acres,  lying  in  two  pieces  as  afore- 
said in  the  parish  of  Reading  to  the  said  John  Read 
Esq.  and  to  his  heirs,  which  said  deed  bears  date 
October  llth,  A.D.  1748,  and  in  consideration  thereof 
did  receive  of  the  said  John  Read  Esq.  a  deed 
bearing  date  the  day  aforesaid  well  executed  to  him 
the  said  Chicken  and  to  his  heirs  by  his  attorney 
John  Read  Esq.  of  said  Reading,  being  fully  au- 
thorized thereunto,  of  the  aforesaid  two  hundred 
acres  ;  praying  this  Assembly  that  said  deeds,  exe- 
cuted as  aforesaid,  may  be  allowed  of,  ratified,  and 
be  admitted  as  good  evidence  in  the  law  for  convey- 
ing and  fixing  the  title  to  the  several  pieces  of  land 
aforesaid." 

This  petition  the  Assembly  gra  nted,  and  Chickens 
and  Ms  tribe  soon  after  removed  to  the  reservation 
at  Scattacook.  His  grandson,  Tom  AVarrup,  how- 
ever, remained  in  Redding,  as  will  be  more  fully  re- 
lated. 


CHAPTER  III. 

T  O  W  X     II  I  S  T  O  K  Y  . 

THE  Act  of  the  General  Assembly  incorporating 
the  town  was  as  follows  : 

"AN  ACT  FOE  MAKING  AND  FORMING  THE  PARISH 
OF  REDDING  INTO  A  DISTINCT  TOWN  BY  THEM- 
SELVES. 

"  Whereas  this  Assembly  are  informed  that  the 
Parish  of  Redding  in  the  northwesterly  part  of  the 
township  of  Fairfield  is  very  remote  from  the  main 
body  of  that  town,  and  that  they  are  by  their  situa- 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  33 

tion  almost  entirely  prevented  from  attending  the 
publick  meetings  of  said  town,  and  that  they  suffer 
very  great  inconveniences  thereby,  and  that  for  them 
any  longer  to  continue  as  a  parish  of  said  Fairfield 
is  very  inconvenient :  Therefore, 

"  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Governor  and  Council  and 
Representatives  in  General  Court  assembled  and  by 
the  authority  of  the  same,  That  said  Parish  of  Red- 
ding be  and  they  are  hereby  erected,  made  and  con- 
stituted within  the  limits  and  bounds  of  said  parish 
a  distinct  Town  by  themselves  with  all  the  liberties, 
privileges  and  immunities  which  by  law  the  other 
towns  in  this  Colony  have  and  do  enjoy,  and  that 
said  new  constituted  town  shall  hereafter  be  called 
by  the  name  of  the  Town  of  Redding,  with  this  lim- 
itation a,nd  restriction,  that  but  one  Representative 
which  said  new  constituted  town  shall  at  any  time 
chuse  to  attend  the  General  Assemblies  shall  be  at 
the  publick  expence. 

"  And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  afore- 
said, That  said  Town  of  Redding  shall  have  and 
hold  their  first  Town  Meeting  for  the  choice  of  their 
town  officers  for  the  present  year  some  time  in  the 
month  of  June  next,  which  meeting  shall  be  warned 
by  a  warrant  signed  by  any  justice  of  the  peace  in; 
the  county  of  Fairfield,  to  be  directed  to  some  in- 
different person  to  serve,  which  warrant  shall  ap- 
point the  time  and  place  at  which  said  meeting  is  to 
be  held,  and  shall  be  served  at  least  five  days  before 
the  day  appointed  for  the  holding  said  meeting." 

It  was  passed  at  the  May  session,  176T,  and  as 
meeting  was  held,  June  15th,  1767,  in  accordance  with 
its  provisions.  Colonel  John  Read  was  chosen  Mod- 
erator. Lieutenant  Stephen  Mead  was  chosen  clerk 
for  the  year,  and  the  following  town  officers  elected. 
Stephen  Mead,  Ephraim  Jackson,  Daniel  Hill,  select- 
men ;  David  Lyon,  Asahel  Fitch,  Daniel  Hull,  con- 
4 


34  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

stables  ;  Benjamin  Hamilton,  Zalmon  Read,  fence 
viewers ;  Peter  Fail-child,  Lemuel  Sanford,  Jr., 
David  Jackson,  listers  ;  Thomas  Fairchild,  Jona- 
than Couch,  grand-jurymen ;  Gurdon  Merchant, 
town  treasurer  ;  Paul  Bartram,  Thomas  Fairchild, 
Eleazer  Smith,  Jr.,  tithing-men ;  Ebenezer  Wil- 
liams, Ebenezer  Couch,  pound  keepers  ;  Gershom 
Morehouse,  sealer  of  leather  ;  Benjamin  Meeker, 
Jonathan  Mallory,  sealer  of  weights ;  Ephraim 
Jackson,  Captain  Henry  Lyon,  and  Gurdon  Mer- 
chant, a  committee  to  take  all  proper  and  lawful 
methods  to  clear  the  highways.  The  town  by  vote 
made  the  pound  by  Elizabeth  Sanford's  the  "  Town 
pound,"  and  voted  "  to  use  the  school  house  by  the 
old  meeting  house  for  ye  place  for  holding  ye  town 
meetings  in  ye  future."  The  second  town  meeting- 
was  held  September  28th,  the  same  year,  at  which 
"  it  was  voted  and  agreed  that  whereas  the  people 
being  within  one  mile  of  the  Southeasterly  end  of 
this  Township,  and  in  the  Northwesterly  end  of  the 
town  of  Fair-field,  are  about  to  petition  the  General 
Assembly  to  be  held  at  New  Haven  in  October  next, 
to  be  annexed  to  this  town,  we  are  willing  and  de- 
sirous to  receive  them,  and  that  we  will  assist  them 
to  endeavor  to  have  them  annexed  to  this  town  by 
appointing  an  agent  for  that  purpose,"  and  Colonel 
Read  was  appointed  such  agent.  Shortly  after  they 
began  agitating  the  question  of  building  a  town- 
house,  and  in  November  a  meeting  was  called  to 
provide  "  for  the  building  or  purchase  of  a  Town 
house  and  pound.  The  first  mention  of  a  turnpike 
in  the  town  is  found  in  the  records  of  a  town  meet- 
ing held  in  1768,  wherein  the  Highway  Committee 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  35 

are  instructed  "  to  lay  out  a  road  from  the  School- 
house  in  Lonetown,  so  called,  east,  through  Col. 
John  Read's  land  to  consort  with  a  highway  lately 
laid  out  from  the  road  that  leads  from  Danbury  to 
Fairfield,  west,  through  Andrew  Fairchild's  land,  to 
s'd  read's  land, "  and  Colonel  Eead  was  given  liberty 
to  keep  a  gate  at  the  west  end  by  the  school-house, 
"he  having  given  land  to  the  town."  The  same 
year  the  town  offered  a  bounty  of  3s.  on  every 
"  wile  cat"  lulled,  and  of  2s.  for  every  grown  fox, 
and  Is.  for  every  young  fox.  A  meeting  held  Sep- 
tember 20th,  1768,  appointed  a  committee  to  act  with 
a  committee  of  the  Superior  Court  to  lay  out  a  high- 
way in  Redding  from  west  to  east,  in  rear  of  the 
long  lots.  This  will  be  recognized  as  the  road  lead- 
ing from  Boston  District  to  Hopewell,  though  por- 
tions of  it  must  have  been  in  use  long  ere  this.  In 
the  records  of  a  meeting  held  October  6th,  1768,  we 
iind  a  striking  example  of  the  towering  ambition 
of  the  town  fathers  :  this  meeting  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  "present  a  memorial  to  the  General  As- 
sembly, praying  that  Redding  be  made  a  County 
town."  December  26th,  1768,  the  selectmen  were  in- 
structed to  "  set  the  districts  for  the  law  books  be- 
longing to  this  town,  and  to  enter  the  names  of 
those  persons  in  each  district  that  hath  a  right  by 
law  to  said  books,  in  said  books." 

Several  highways  were  laid  out  during  this  year, 
and  the  next :  one  across  Sturgis'  long  lot,  beginning 
at  the  upright  highway  above  Ebenezer  Andrus' 
barn,  ' '  to  run  southerly  slanting  down  in  some  suit- 
able way  until  it  comes  to  the  cross  highway  South- 
easterly from  said  bam."  The  county  road  from 


36  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

Danbury  to  Fairfield,  originally  laid  out  six  rods 
wide,  was  reduced  to  four  rods,  and  Stephen  Mead, 
Gurdon  Merchant,  and  Lemuel  Sanford  were  ap- 
pointed a  committee  "  to  lay  out  the  County  road, 
four  rods  wide,  exchanging  where  it  shall  be  thought 
necessary,  and  all  at  the  Proprietor's  cost."  A 
highway  was  also  laid  out  from  Samuel  Smith's, 
southerly  to  the  bridge  below  Daniel  Perry's  grist- 
mill. 

The  following  interesting  entry  appears  in  the 
records  of  a  meeting  held  March  6th,  1771 :  "  Voted 
and  agreed,  that  whereas  a  Plan  hath  been  proposed 
of  moving  to  the  General  Assembly  in  May  next  for 
the  erecting  a  new  county,  to  consist  of  the  towns  of 
Danbury,  Newtown,  Ridgefield,  Redding,  and  New 
Fairfield,  we  are  willing  and  desirous  that  said  towns 
shall  be  erected  a  county,  and  that  we  will  assist 
them  to  endeavor  to  have  said  county  established. ' ' 
The  committee  appointed  for  this  purpose  were 
David  Lyon,  Gershom  Morehouse,  and  James 
Rogers. 

In  October,  1773,  the  General  Assembly  passed  a 
resolution,  "  to  assert,  and  in  some  proper  way  sup- 
port their  claim  to  those  lands  contained  within  the 
limits  and  bounds  of  the  charter  of  this  Colony 
westward  of  the  Province  of  New  York" — an  act 
strongly  disapproved  by  the  people  at  large. 

Town  meetings  were  called  to  protest  against  it, 
and  a  convention  comprising  delegates  from  twenty- 
three  towns  met  in  Middletown,  and  adopted  a  peti- 
tion and  remonstrance  to  the  General  Assembly 
against  the  proposed  action. 

Redding's  attitude  in  the  matter  is  shown  by  the 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING  37 

following  extract  from  the  doings  of  a  town  meeting 
held  March  14th,  1774  :  ' '  Whereas  it  is  the  opinion 
of  many  of  the  freemen  and  other  inhabitants  of  this 
Colony  (and  of  this  meeting  in  particular)  that  if  ye 
abovesaid  Resolve  be  carried  into  execution  it  will 
inevitably  involve  the  inhabitants  of  Connecticut 
in  a  long,  expensive,  and  fruitless  Litigation  with 
Mr.  Penn,  therefore  this  meeting  appoints  and  dele- 
gates Messrs.  William  Hawley  and  Peter  Fairchild 
to  attend  a  meeting  to  be  held  at  Middletown  on  the 
last  Wednesday  of  Instant  March,  to  concert  some 
Proper  Methods  in  order  to  put  a  stop  to  so  disa- 
greeable a  procedure. "  But  the  project  of  the  As- 
sembly was  never  carried  into  execution  :  within  a 
few  months  an  invading  army  was  hovering  about 
its  coasts,  and  the  sturdy,  belligerent  little  Colony 
found  other  vents  for  its  pugnacious  spirit. 

In  the  Revolutionary  War,  to  which  period  we  are 
now  come,  Redding  played  an  important  part :  her 
people  were  fully  alive  to  the  importance  and  dire- 
fulness  of  the  conflict,  and  bore  their  full  share  of 
the  burdens  it  imposed  ;  but  the  town  records  dur- 
ing this  period  refer  but  rarely,  and  then  briefly,  to 
the  great  conflict. 

The  hrst  action  of  the  town  in  regard  to  the  war 
is  found  in  the  records  of  a  town  meeting  held 
April  2d,  1777,  when  a  committee  consisting  of  Messrs 
William  Hawley,  Zalmon  Read,  Thaddeus  Benedict. 
David  Jackson,  Gershom  Morehouse,  Stephen 
Betts,  Jr.,  William  Heron,  and  Daniel  Mallory  was 
appointed  ''  to  hire  a  number  of  Soldiers  to  serve  in 
the  Continental  army."  It  was  also  voted  that  the 
"  sum  or  sums  the  said  Committee  promise  to,  or  do 


3  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

pay,  to  those  soldiers  that  do  enlist  themselves  as 
soldiers  to  serve  in  said  army,  as  a  bounty  over  and 
above  what  the  Government  bounty  is,  shall  be  paid 
by  way  of  town  rates,  and  the  Selectmen  are  ordered 
and  desired  to  make  a  rate  to  collect  the  money. ' '  In 
the  records  of  the  same  meeting  is  the  following  sig- 
nificant entry:  "  Hezekiah.  Sanford,  Seth  Sanford, 
Daniel  Mallory,  S.  Samuel  Smith,  William  Hawley, 
Stephen  Betts  Jr.  Jonathan  Couch,  Stephen  Gold, 
and  Hezekiah  Read,  are  appointed  a  committee  to 
take  care  of  the  families  of  those  soldiers  that  are  in 
the  service  of  their  country  ;"  and  this  also,  under 
date  of  May  5th,  1777 :  "  David  Jackson,  Seth  San- 
ford, Thaddeus  Benedict  and  John  Gray  are  chosen 
Selectmen  in  addition  to,  and  to  supply  the  place  of 
Stephen  Betts  and  James  Rogers  taken  prisoners  by 
the  enemy  in  their  expedition  to  Danbury." 

The  above-named  gentlemen  were  released  when 
the  British  re-embarked  at  Norwalk.  September 
18th,  1777,  it  was  voted  "  that  the  injunction  or  re- 
quest from  his  Excellency  the  Governor  and  the 
Council  of  Safety  be  complied  with,  and  that  the 
Committee  procure  and  get  double  the  articles  if 
they  can,  mentioned  in  the  Governor's  said  request, 
and  that  said  Committee  be  paid  by  the  town, 
the  extra  charges  that  the  said  articles  may  cost 
more  than  they  are  set  at  in  said  request."  March 
23,  1778,  David  Jackson,  Zalmon  Read,  and  E ph- 
i-aim Robbins  wrere  appointed  a  committee  to  pro- 
vide clothing  for  the  army.  May  8th,  1778,  Asa- 
hel  Fitch  appears  as  committee,  "  to  take  care  and 
provide  as  the  law  directs  for  Nathan  Coley's  fam- 
ily." At  the  same  time  he,  with  Capt.  Zalmon  Read, 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  39 

was  appointed  a  committee  to  provide  "  shirts,  shoes, 
stockins  and  other  articles  of  clothing  for  the  Con- 
tinental soldiers."  December  17th,  1778,  another 
committee  was  appointed  to  care  for  the  families  of 
soldiers  as  follows :  Nehemiah  Hull  for  Nathan 
Oolcy's  ;  Elijah  Burr  for  Stephen  Meeker' s  ;  Eben- 
ezer  Couch  for  Elias  Bixby  ;  Nehemiah  Sherwood 
and  John  Read  for  Jeremiah  Ryan,  and  William 
Hawley  for  Samuel  Remong.  July  30th,  1779,  Mi- 
cayah  Starr,  Thaddeus  Benedict,  and  Stephen  Betts 
were  appointed  a  committee  to  prepare  clothing  for 
the  soldiers,  and  a  tax  of  2s.  on  the  pound  was  lev- 
ied to  pay  for  the  same.  Several  of  the  records  are 
very  annoying  from  their  incompleteness  ;  the  fol- 
lowing for  instance  of  a  meeting  held  September  2d, 
1779:  "Voted,  to  ratify  the  proceedings  of  the 
County  Convention  held  Aug.  10th,  1779,  and  to  ap- 
point a  Committee  to  carry  into  effect  what  was  rec- 
ommended in  the  first  resolve  of  said  Convention.''1 
Not  a  word  is  said  as  to  the  object  of  the  Conven- 
tion, nor  is  any  report  of  its  proceedings  given. 
From  other  sources,  however,  we  learn  that  it  was 
called  to  devise  measures  to  prevent  further  depreci- 
ation of  the  paper  currency,  and  also  to  consider 
what  course  should  be  pursued  in  dealing  with  the 
Tories  among  them. 

No  record  of  the  proceedings  of  this  convention, 
interesting  and  important  as  it  would  have  been,  is 
found.  It  was  held  at  the  dwelling-house  of  Cap- 
tain Stephen  Betts,  on  Redding  Ridge.  January 
23d,  1780,  the  town  voted  to  appoinc  a  committee 
of  nine  "  to  procure  and.  hire  nine  soldiers  to  enlist 
into  the  Connecticut  Line  in  the  Continental  army, 


40  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

for  the  town  of  Redding."  This  committee  consisted 
of  Stephen  Betts,  Ezekiel  Sanford,  David  Jackson, 
Nathaniel  Barlow — brother  of  the  poet  -Asahel 
Fitch,  Hezekiah  Read,  Elijah  Burr,Ephraim  Robbins, 
and  Hezekiah  Sanford.  The  committee  were  also  in- 
structed "  to  use  their  utmost  diligence  to  hire  nine 
able  bodied  efficient  men  to  enlist  as  aforesaid,  dur- 
ing the  war  or  for  three  years,  or  six  months,  and 
that  they  enlist  them  at  such  sum  or  sums  of  money 
in  any  price,  or  such  quantity  of  provisions  of  any 
kind  as  they  shall  judge  reasonable  and  just."  Six 
months  later,  June  26th,  they  voted  to  instruct  their 
committee  to  give  to  each  soldier  they  enlist  for  six 
months,  ten  bushels  of  wheat  per  month  or  the 
value  in  hard  money  when  paid,  besides  they  shall 
receive  the  bounty  the  state  offers,  but  the  town 
shall  receive  their  wages."  The  same  offer  was  made 
to  the  drafted  men.  This  course  was  probably 
taken  in  the  belief  that  the  town  could  more  readily 
collect  the  wages  of  the  soldiers  than  they  could 
themselves. 

November  20th,  same  year,  it  was  voted,  "  that 
the  town  will  lay  a  tax  on  provisions  to  supply  their 
quota  of  provisions  for  the  Connecticut  Line  in  the 
Continental  Army,  and  that  a  rate  bill  be  made  ap- 
portioning to  each  individual  his  proportion  of  each 
kind  of  provision  to  be  raised,  viz.  flour,  beef,  and 
pork,  according  to  his  list  for  the  year  1779.  George 
Perry  was  appointed  Receiver  of  the  flour  collected 
by  the  town,  and  sworn  to  a  faithful  discharge  of  his 
trust.  Russell  Bartlett  was  appointed  Receiver  of 
pork  and  beef,  and  was  also  sworn.  At  the  same 
meeting  a  committee  was  appointed  "  to  repair  to 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  41 

the  camp  and  ascertain  the  number  of  soldiers  of  the 
town  now  in  camp."     This  order  was  several  times 
repeated,  but  none  of  the  reports  of  the  committees 
are  preserved.     The  following  significant  entry  ap- 
pears in  the  records  of  a  meeting  held  February  5th, 
1781  :  "  Voted  not  to  abate  assessments  for  purposes 
aforesaid  (I.e.  tax,  on  provisions)  on  Enos  Lee,  James 
Morgan,    Hezekiah   Platt,    Daniel    Lyon,     Abigail 
Lyon,  Sarah  Phinney,  David  Knapp,  James  Gray, 
Abigail  Morehouse,  Ezekiel  Hill,  Andrew  Fairchild, 
and  Sarah  Burr,  who  have  each  of  them  a  son  or 
sons,  or  a  son  or  sons  in  law  gone  over  to  the  ene- 
mies of  the  United  States."     At  this  meeting  several 
who  had  refused  to  pay  the  tax  levied  for  hiring  sol- 
diers were  assessed  doiible  rates.    March  28th,  1781, 
Captain  Gershom  Morehouse  and  Lieutenant  !N~ehe- 
miah  Hull  were  appointed  a  committee  "to  collect 
the  tents  belonging  to  this  town" — probably  those 
furnished  for  the  winter  encampment  of  the  troops  ; 
at  the  same  time  a  committee  was  appointed  "  to 
vindicate  our  claims  to  the  Connecticut  Soldiers." 
April  16,  1781,  it  was  voted  "to  divide  the  people 
into  eight  classes  according  to  their  several  lists  in 
order  to  raise  seven  soldiers,  and  one  Light  Horse- 
man to  serve  for  one  year  as  coast  guards."     It  was 
voted  "  that  the  sixth  class  (for  procuring  men  to 
serve  in  the  guards  at  Horse  J^eck  till  ye  first  of 
March  next)    shall   procure  a  light  horseman  and 
horse,  and  that  the  town  shall  pay  said  class  all  it 
shall  cost  them  more  to  procure  a  man  and  horse, 
than  it  shall  cost  the  other  seven    classes    on  a 
medium." 
July  5th,  same  year,  a  tax  of  three  pence  on  the 


42  HISTORY  OF  REDDJNG. 

pound  was  laid  "  to  pay  last  year's  six  months 
men,  to  be  paid  in  Silver,  or  Gold,  or  wheat  at  six 
shillings  a  bushel,  and  to  be  collected  and  paid  to 
the  selectmen  before  the  10th  of  July  Inst." 

The  next  fall,  October  30th,  1781,  George  Perry 
was  chosen  "  Receiver  of  Grain  and  flour  on  the  half 
crown  Tax,  Benjamin  Meeker  and  Isaac  Meeker  to 
receive  the  grain  and  flour  on  the  two  sixths  tax, 
and  William  Hawley  Esq.  to  receive  the  Beef  and 
Pork  on  said  tax,  and  to  provide  casks  and  salt  said 
provisions  as  the  law  directs." 

The  last  entry  referring  to  the  war  appears  August 
llth,  1783,  some  nine  months  after  the  Provisional 
Articles  of  Peace  had  been  signed  at  Paris.  It  is  as 
follows  :  '•"  Voted  that  the  select  men  of  this  town  be 
desired  to  move  out  of  this  town  all  those  persons 
that  have  been  over  and  joined  the  enemy,  and  have 
returned  into  this  town,  and  that  they  pursue  the 
business  as  fast  as  they  conveniently  can  according 
to  law."  The  selectmen  on  whom  this  task  devolved 
were,  Seth  Sanford,  James  Rogers,  Stephen  Betts, 
Hezekiah  Sanford,  and  John  Gray. 

Several  items  that  next  follow  are  important  as 
denoting  the  progress  of  events.  December  18th, 
1781  :  "  Voted,  that  the  select  men  be  instructed  to 
petition  the  General  Assembly  to  annex  this  town 
to  Danbury  Probate  District,"  and  the  road  com- 
mittee was  instructed  to  sell  the  highway  from 
Nobb's  Crook  to  Captain  Grays,  and  also  the  "  up- 
right highway"  west  of  Micayah  Starr's,  from 
Nathan  Rumsey's  to  the  rear  of  the  long  lots. 

August  9,  1782,  the  town  appoints  d  delegates  to 
a  County  Convention  held  in  Greenfield  "  to  inquire 


IirSTORY  OF  BEDDING.  43 

into  the  progress  of  illicit  trade  :"  also  a  Committee 
of  Inspection  to  assist  the  informing  officers  in  put- 
ting the  laws  into  execution. 

August  llth,  1783  :  It  was  voted  "  that  the  town 
will  set  up  a  singing  school,"  and  a  tax  of  one  penny 
on  the  pound  was  laid  to  pay  the  singing  master. 

March  13th,  1797:  "Voted  not  to  admit  Small 
Pox  by  innoculation  ;  voted  to  admit  Small  Pox  by 
innoc ulation  next  fall. ' ' 

December  14th,  1791,  a  committee  was  appointed  to 
apply  to  the  proprietors  of  the  mile  of  commons  for 
a  title  to  the  land  in  Redding  left  by  said  proprie- 
tors for  a  parade."  (This  "  parade,"  familiar  to  all  old 
inhabitants  of  Redding,  was  in  the  large  field  ad- 
joining the  Congregational  parsonage  now  owned 
by  Mr.  Joseph  Squires  ;  it  was  the  scene  of  many 
militia  trainings  in  later  days.) 

December  19th,  1792:  "Voted  to  reduce  the 
highway  from  D anbury  to  Norwalk  to  four  rods 
wide,  arid  to  sell  two  rods."  In  1795  :  "  Voted  that 
the  selectmen  prosecute  those  persons  that  cut  tim- 
ber on  the  highways." 

The  first  town-house  was  built  early  in  1798.  It 
stood  nearly  in  the  centre  of  the  common,  a  few 
yards  west  of  the  present  building. 

From  the  plan  submitted  December  27th.  1797,  by 
the  building  committee,  we  learn  that  it  was  "  36  feet 
in  length,  and  30  feet  wide,  with  12  foot  posts,  cov- 
ered with  long  cedar  shingles,  the  sides  with  pine." 
There  was  a  chimney  in  each  end,  and  fifteen  win- 
dows with  twenty  lights  in  each.  Peter  Sanford, 
Ezekiel  Sanford,  Samuel  Jarvis,  Aaron  Sanford,  An- 
drew L.  Hill,  and  Simon  Munger  were  appointed 


44  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

' '  to  receive  proposals  and  contract  for  building  the 
aforesaid  Town  House."  The  builder  was  Daniel 
Perry.  In  1807  there  was  a  movement  to  petition 
the  General  Assembly,  "  that  Redding  be  made  the 
shire  town  of  Fairfield  County."  In  1809  it  AY; is 
voted  unanimously,"  That  we  will  prefer  a  petition 
to  the  Congress  of  the  "United  States  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  Post  Road  through  this  town,"  and 
AVilliam  Heron,  Lemuel  Sanford,  and  Billy  Corn- 
stock  were  appointed  to  draft  the  petition.  This 
wTas  successful,  and  the  first  post-office  in  the  town 
was  shortly  after  established.  It  was  kept  in  the 
dwelling-house  of  Billy  Comstock,  who  was  the  first 
postmaster ;  his  house  stood  where  Mr.  Dimon 
Finch  now  lives,  at  the  fork  of  the  Danbury  road, 
and  that  leading  to  Redding  Centre,  md  Nobb's 
Crook.  There  are  old  people  in  town  who  remem- 
ber this  first  post-office,  and  the  excitement  attend- 
ant upon  the  arrival  of  the  weekly  mail,  carried  by 
the  great  lumbering  Danbury  stage,  which,  with  its 
four  horses,  its  red-faced  driver,  and  crowd  of 
dusty,  sweltering  passengers,  was  the  great  tri- week- 
ly event  of  the  villages  through  which  it  passed. 

There  is  evidence  that  in  early  times  the  town  exer- 
cised considerable  influence  in  public  affairs.  In  the 
Farmer's  Journal  (Danbury)  for  April  8th,  1793, 
appears  a  circular  letter  "  sent  by  a  committee  ait- 
pointed  to  correspond  with  the  different  towns  in 
the  county  of  Fairfield,"  from  Reading,  as  follows  : 

"  READING,  Apr.  2, 1793. 

"  GrENTLioi  i:x  :  We  are,  by  the  inhabitants  of  this 
town,  in  a  town  meeting  legally  warned  for  that 
purpose,  appointed  a  committee  to  correspond  witli 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  45 

the  other  towns  in  Fairfield  County  respecting  the 
list  of  persons  entered  on  the  records  of  Congress,  a 
number  of  whom  this  town  apprehend  are  really 
undeserving.  We  are  ordered  to  ask  of  you  to 
adopt  a  similar  mode  of  appointing  a  committee  to 
correspond  accordingly,  and  if  by  due  enquiry  any 
person,  or  persons  shall  be  found  to  be  put  on  the 
pension  list,  who  are  undeserving,  to  adopt  proper 
means  for  redress  at  a  proper  board. 
Signed  : 

TIIADDEUS  BENEDICT, 
WILLIAM  HERON, 
LEMUEL  SANFORD, 
S.  SAMUEL  SMITH, 
JAMES  ROGERS. 
To  the  Selectmen  of— 

And  in  the  Farmer's  Chronicle  (Danbury)  for 
January  6th,  1794  : 

"  At  a  Town  Meeting  held  in  Reading,  by  ad- 
journment, on  the  23rd  day  of  December  A.D.  1793, 
"  Voted  unanimously,  That  this  Town  will  exert  our- 
selves in  every  legal  and  constitutional  method  in 
our  power  to  prevent  the  sale  of  the  western  lands  at 
present,  and  to  obtain  a  repeal  of  the  act  of  this 
state  appropriating  the  avails  thereof  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  ministry  and  schools  in  this  state,  as  we 
conceive  the  same  to  be  impolitic.  And  that  a  com- 
mittee be  appointed  to  correspond  with  the  other 
towns  in  this  county  to  effect  the  purpose  aforesaid, 
and  that  this  vote  be  sent  to  the  committee  ap- 
pointed to  sell  those  lands,  with  our  request  that 
they  will  omit  to  make  any  contract  or  sale  of  them 
till  the  sitting  of  the  next  General  Assembly." 

And  in  the  records  of  a  town  meeting  held  April 
20th,  1818  : 

"  Voted,  That  our  Representatives  to  the  General 
Assembly  to  be  holden  at  Hartford  in  May  next,  be, 


40  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

sincl  hereby  are,  instructed  to  use  their  influence  that 
measures  be  taken  preparatory  to  forming  a  written 
constitution  for  the  Government  of  this  State.  That 
it  is  the  opinion  of  this  meeting,  that  the  State  of 
Connecticut  is  without  a  written  constitution  of  Civil 
Government,  and  we  belie \re  it  very  important  for 
the  security  of  the  Civil,  and  Religious  rights,  and 
privileges  of  the  Citizens,  that  the  powers  and 
authorities  of  the  Government  should  be  distinctly 
defined." 

The  present  town-house  was  erected  in  1834.  At 
a  town  meeting  held  March  3d,  1834,  Mr.  Thomas 
B.  Fanton  made  a  proposition  "  that  he  would  en- 
gage to  build  a  new  Town  House,  same  dimensions 
as  the  old  one,  of  good  materials,  covering  to  be  of 
pine,  with  shutters  to  the  windows,  outside  of  house 
to  be  painted,  and  the  whole  inside  and  out,  to  be 
finished  in  a  wrorkman  like  manner,  to  be  erected 
near  the  old  one,  on  land  belonging  to  the  town,  pro- 
vided the  town  will  give  him  $400,  and  the  old 
house,"  and  engaged  to  save  the  town  from  any  ex- 
pense on  account  of  materials  provided  by  the  com- 
mittee to  repair  the  old  town  house.  This  propo- 
sition was  accepted,  and  John  R.  Hill,  Gershom 
Sherwood,  and  Aaron  Burr,  2d,  were  appointed  a 
committee  "  to  superintend  building  said  House." 
There  were  objections,  however,  to  having  the  new 
house  built  on  the  old  site,  and  a  meeting  held 
shortly  after  voted  "  to  relocate  the  house  in  the 
building  owned  by  Thaddeus  M.  Abbott  recently  oc- 
cupied for  a  school  house." 

But  other  parties  objected  to  this  plan,  and  a  third 
meeting  was  held,  before  a  site  satisfactory  to  all 
parties  could  be  agreed  on. 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  47 

This  meeting  voted  to  locate  it  "on  the  Southeast 
corner  of  Thaddeus  M.  Abbott's  homelot,  fronting 
the  public  parade  on  the  South,  and  on  the  west 
the  Lonetown  highway,  provided  that  nothing  in 
tliis  vote  interferes  with  the  contract  made  with 
Thomas  B.  Fanton  for  building  said  house,  and  that 
it  be  no  additional  expense  to  the  town."  The 
building  belonging  to  Mr.  Abbott  which  stood  on 
this  site  was  moved  away,  and  the  present  town- 
house  erected  in  the  summer  of  1834. 

From  this  point  until  the  opening  of  the  civil  war 
the  records  indicate  only  the  usual  routine  of  town 
business,  and  may  be  profitably  passed  over  in  or- 
der to  make  room  for  the  valuable  and  interesting 
K evolutionary  history  of  the  town. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

REVOLUTIONARY    HISTORY    AND    INCIDENTS. 

Two  years  had  passed  since  the  opening  of  the 
War  of  Independence — years  of  alternate  victory  and 
defeat  to  the  colonists — when  a  hostile  armament  of 
twenty -five  vessels  bearing  two  thousand  men,  the 
llower  of  the  British  army,  appeared  off  Compo,  in 
West-port,  on  the  Connecticut  shore.  It  was  the 
26th  of  April,  1777.  A  few  days  before,  news  had 
come  to  Lord  Howe,  commanding  in  New  York, 
that  a  magazine  of  munitions  of  war  had  been 
formed  by  the  rebels  in  Danbury,  and  which 
afforded  him  a  pretext  for  a  descent  on  Connecticut 
—a  step  which  he  had  long  meditated.  The  region 


48  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

of  country  covered  by  the  proposed  campaign  had 
been  swept  of  its  able-bodied  men,  who  were  in  the 
Continental  ranks  keeping  a  careful  watch  on  his 
lordship's  regulars  ;  but  that  there  might  be  no  balk 
in  the  operations,  an  overwhelming  force  of  two 
thousand  picked  men  was  detailed  for  the  expedi- 
tion. For  commanders,  Howe  chose  a  nondescript 
genius,  one  Governor  Tryon,  and  two  military  men 
of  ability,  General  Agnew  and  Sir  William  Erskine. 
Tryon  had  been  Governor  of  New  York  ;  he  had  the 
further  merit  of  being  intimately  acquainted  with 
Connecticut,  and  of  being  consumed  with  an  inveter- 
ate hatred  for,  and  thirst  for  revenge  on,  the  Yan- 
kees ;  he  had  a  special  grudge  too  against  Connecti- 
cut, the  sturdy  little  colony  having  thwarted  him  in 
a  variety  of  ways.  Her  dragoons  had  scattered  the 
types  of  his  newspaper  organ  through  the  streets  of 
New  York  ;  her  "  Sons  of  Liberty"  had  plotted 
against  him  even  in  his  own  city,  and  she  had 
treated  with  contempt  his  proclamations,  inviting  her 
to  return  to  her  allegiance,  even  printing  them  in 
her  gazettes  as  specimens  of  the  governor's  pleasant 
humor. 

Furthermore,  he  was  well  acquainted  with  the 
country  to  be  traversed.  He  had  been  as  far  inland 
as  Litchfield,  had  probably  visited  Danbury,  and 
had  been  dined  and  feted  at  Norwalk,  Fail-field,  and 
New  Haven.  He  seems  to  have  acted  as  guide  to 
the  expedition  while  his  two  advisers  attended  to  its 
military  details.  The  troops  disembarked  at  Compo 
at  four  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  same  day  marched 
to  Weston,  about  eight  miles  distant,  where  they  en- 
camped for  the  night.  To  oppose  these  troops  there 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  49 

was  only  a  militia  corps  of  old  men  and  boys,  not 
equal  in  number  to  one  half  the  invading  force. 

Colonel  Cook  was  in  command  at  Danbury  with  a 
company  of  unarmed  militia.  General  Silliman  at 
Fail-field,  General  Wooster  at  Stratford,  and  Gene- 
ral Arnold  at  Norwalk  could  not  muster,  all  told, 
more  than  eight  hundred  raw,  undisciplined  men. 
Under  these  circumstances  Try  on' s  expedition  can 
only  be  viewed  as  a  picnic  excursion  into  the  country, 
and  as  such  no  doubt  he  regarded  it.  On  the  morn- 
ing of  the  26th  his  army  was  early  astir,  and  reached 
Redding  Ridge,  where  the  first  hait  was  made, 
about  the  time  that  the  inhabitants  had  concluded 
their  morning  meal.  What  transpired  here  is  thus 
narrated  by  Mr.  Hollister  in  his  admirable  "  History 
of  Connecticut,"  vol.  ii.,  chap.  12: 

"  On  the  morning  of  the  26th,  at  a  very  seasonable 
hour,  Tryon  arrived  at  Reading  Ridge,  where  was  a 
small  hamlet  of  peaceful  inhabitants,  almost  every 
one  of  them  patriots,  and  most  of  them  farmers, 
who  had  crowned  the  high  hill,  where  they  had 
chosen  to  build  their  Zion,  with  a  tall,  gaunt  church, 
which  drew  to  its  aisles  one  day  in  seven  the  people 
that  dwelt  upon  the  sides  of  the  hills,  and  in  the 
bosom  of  the  valleys,  within  the  range  of  the  sum- 
mons that  sounded  from  its  belfry.  By  way  of  sat- 
isfying his  hunger  with  a  morning  lunch,  until  he 
could  provide  a  more  substantial  meal,  he  drew  up 
his  artillery  in  front  of  the  weather-beaten  edifice 
that  had  before  defied  every  thing  save  the  grace  of 
God,  and  the  supplications  of  his  worshippers,  and 
gave  it  a  good  round  of  grape  and  canister,  that 
pierced  its  sides  through,  and  shattered  its  small- 
paned  windows  into  fragments.  The  only  spectators 
to  this  heroic  demonstration  were  a  few  women  and 


50  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

little  children,  some  of  whom  ran  away  at  the  sight 
of  the  red-coats,  and  others  faced  the  invaders  with 
a  menacing  stare." 

Mr.  Hollister  is  in  the  main  a  careful  and  accurate 
historian,  but  a  due  regard  for  the  truth  of  history 
compels  us  to  say  that  he  was  misinf  ormed  in  regard 
to  the  above  facts.  The  following  account  is  be- 
lieved to  be  correct,  our  principal  informant  being 
an  aged  inhabitant  of  Redding,  and  a  competent 
authority : 

During  the  halt  the  main  body  of  the  troops  re- 
mained under  arms  on  the  green  in  front  of  the 
church.  Tryon,  Agnew,  and  Erskine  were  invited 
into  Esquire  Heron's,  who  lived  in  the  first  house 
south  of  the  church,  and  which  is  still  standing, 
though  in  a  ruinous  condition.  Here  they  were  hos- 
pitably entertained  with  cake  and  wine,  and  with 
many  hopeful  prognostications  of  the  speedy  col- 
lapse of  the  "rebellion."  Across  the  street  from 
the  church,  in  a  house  a  few  yards  south  of  the  cfae 
now  occupied  by  Thomas  Ryan,  lived  Lieutenant 
Stephen  Betts,  a  prominent  patriot,  and  at  whose 
house  it  will  be  remembered  the  county  convention 
was  held  in  1779.  A  file  of  soldiers  entered  the 
house,  seized  him,  and  he  was  taken  with  them  on 
their  march.  James  Rogers,  another  prominent 
patriot,  and  Jeremiah  Sanford,  a  lad  of  ten  years, 
son  of  Mr.  Daniel  Sanford,  met  a  like  fate.  The 
lad,  we  may  remark,  was  carried  to  New  York  and 
died  in  the  prison  ships,  June  28th,  1777.  Shortly 
before  the  army  resumed  its  march,  a  horseman  was 
observed  spurring  rapidly  down  the  Couch's  Hill 
road  toward  them,  and  approached  within  musket- 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  51 

shot  before  discovering  their  presence  ;  he  then 
turned  to  fly,  but  was  shot,  and  severely  wounded 
in  the  attempt.  He  proved  to  be  a  messenger  from 
Colonel  Cook  in  Danbury,  bearing  dispatches  to 
General  Silliman,  by  name  Lambert  Lockwood. 
Tryon  had  formerly  known  him  in  Norwalk,  where 
Lockwood  had  rendered  him  a  service,  and  seems  to 
have  acted  on  this  occasion  with  some  approach  to 
magnanimity,  as  he  released  him  on  parole,  and 
allowed  him  to  be  taken  into  a  house  that  his 
wounds  might  be  dressed. 

The  statement  concerning  the  firing  into  the 
church  is  a  mistake,  and  I  am  assured  that  the  re- 
verse is  true.  It  is  said  that  the  church  was  not  mo- 
lested at  all  (except  that  a  soldier  with  a  well-di- 
rected ball  brought  down  the  gilded  weathercock 
from  the  spire),  and  the  fact  that  the  pastor,  the 
Rev.  John  Beach,  as  well  as  several  of  its  most 
prominent  members,  among  them  the  Squire  Heron 
above  referred  to,  were  most  pronounced  loyalists, 
strengthens  the  assertion. 

The  British  army,  after  halting  an  hour  or  t\vo  in 
the  village,  resumed  its  march  to  Danbury,  with  the 
capture  and  burning  of  which  the  reader  is  no  doubt 
acquainted. 

Meanwhile  the  patriots  in  Redding  anxiously 
waited  the  approach  of  the  Continental  army  in 
pursuit.  At  length  it  came  in  view,  marching 
wearily,  with  dusty  and  disordered  ranks,  a  lit- 
tle army  of  five  hundred  men  and  boys,  led  by 
Brigadier-General  Silliman  in  person.  They  had 
marched  from  Fairfield  that  day,  and  were  fully 
twenty-eight  hours  behind  the  foe,  who  was  then  ly- 


53  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

ing  drunken  and  disorganized  at  Danbury.  A  mus- 
ter-roll of  the  little  band  would  have  shown  a  most 
pathetic  exhibition  of  weakness.  There  were  parts 
of  the  companies  of  Colonel  Lamb's  battalion  of 
artillery,  with  three  rusty  cannon,  a  field-piece,  and 
part  of  the  artillery  company  of  Fairfield,  and  sixty 
Continentals  ;  the  rest  were  raw  levies,  chiefly  old 
men  and  boys.  It  was  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening 
when  the  troops  arrived  at  Redding  Ridge — an  even- 
ing as  disagreeable  as  a  north-east  rain-storm  with 
its  attendant  darkness  could  make  it.  Here  the 
troops  halted  an  hour  for  rest  and  refreshment.  At 
the  expiration  of  that  time  a  bugle  sounded  far 
down  the  street ;  then  the  tramp  of  horsemen  was 
heard,  and  presently  Major-General  Wooster  and 
Brigadier- General  Arnold,  at  the  head  of  a  squadron 
of  cavalry,  dashed  into  the  village. 

On  hearing  that  the  British  were  so  far  ahead,  it 
is  said  that  Arnold  became  so  enraged  that  he  could 
scarcely  keep  his  seat,  and  his  terrible  oaths  fell  on 
his  auditors'  ears  like  thunder-claps.  Wooster  at 
once  assumed  command,  and  the  column  moved  for- 
ward through  the  mud  as  far  as  Bethel,  where  it 
halted  for  the  night.  At  Danbury,  but  three  miles 
distant,  Tryon's  force  was  sleeping  in  drunken 
security,  and  might  have  been  annihilated  by  a  de- 
termined effort,  but  the  command  was  too  much  ex- 
hausted for  the  attempt. 

Tryon  the  next  morning  was  early  astir,  being- 
aware  that  the  militia  were  closing  in  on  him  on  all 
sides,  and  commenced  a  retreat  to  his  ships,  taking 
the  circuitous  route  through  Ridgefield.  On  learn- 
ing this  move,  General  Wooster  at  Bethel  divided 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  53 

his  command,  one  detachment  under  Generals  Ar- 
nold and  Silliman  marching  rapidly  across  the  coun- 
try and  taking  post  at  Ridge  field,  while  the  other, 
commanded  by  himself,  pressed  closely  on  Try  on1  s 
rear. ,  The  succeeding  fortunes  of  the  patriots — how 
they  met  the  foe  at  Bidgefield,  how  "Wooster  fell 
gallantly  leading  on  his  men,  how  Arnold  per- 
formed prodigies  of  valor,  and  how  the  enemy  were 
pursued  and  harassed  until  they  gained  the  cover 
of  their  ships — has  become  a  part  of  our  national 
history,  and  needs  no  recounting. 

News  that  the  British  had  landed  at  Compo,  that 
they  were  encamped  at  Weston,  and  would  march 
through  Redding  the  next  day,  was  conveyed  to 
this  town  at  an  early  hour,  and  occasioned  the 
greatest  consternation  and  excitement. 

Money  and  valuables  were  hastily  secreted  in 
wells  and  other  places  of  concealment ;  horses  and 
cattle  were  driven  into  the  forests,  and  the  inhabi- 
tants along  the  enemy's  probable  route  held  them- 
selves in  readiness  for  instant  flight.  Herod's  emis- 
saries could  not  have  excited  livelier  emotions  of 
terror  in  the  hearts  of  Judean  mothers  than  did 
Tryon's  invasion  in  the  breasts  of  the  mothers  of 
Redding.  He  seems  to  have  warred  pre-eminently 
on  women  and  boys.  The  latter  especially  he  made 
prisoners  of,  and  consigned  to  the  horrible  prison- 
ships,  either  holding  them  as  hostages,  or  on  the 
plea  that  they  "  would  very  soon  grow  into  rebels." 
The  women  of  Redding  had  heard  of  this  propensity, 
and  at  his  approach  gathered  all  the  boys  of  thir- 
teen and  under — the  older  ones  were  away  under 
arms — and  conveyed  them  to  a  secluded  place  near 


54  HISTORY   OF  REDDIXG. 

the  Forge,  where  they  were  left  under  the  charge  of 
one  Gershom  Barlow  ;  here  they  remained  until  the 
invader  had  regained  his  ships,  provisions  being- 
cooked  and  sent  in  to  them  daily. 

Many  other  incidents  of  the  invasion  are  current 
in  the  town. 

On  receiving  intelligence  of  the  landing  at  Compo, 
Captain  Read  mustered  his  company  of  militia,  and 
forthwith  marched  to  intercept  the  invaders.  A  t  a 
place  called  Couch's  Rock,  in  Weston,  they  came 
suddenly  upon  the  entire  force  of  the  enemy  and 
were  taken  prisoners.  Timothy  Parsons,  one  of  the 
militiamen,  had  a  fine  musket  which  he  particularly 
valued  ;  this  a  grenadier  took,  and  dashed  to  pieces 
on  the  stones,  saying  it  should  waste  no  more  rebel 
bullets. 

Mrs.  Thankful  Bradley,  living  in  Weston.  near  the 
Redding  line,  was  milking  by  the  roadside  when  the 
troops  surprised  her.  An  officer  told  her  to  remain 
quiet,  and  they  would  not  molest  her.  She  followed 
his  advice  and  continued  milking  while  the  entire 
army  filed  by.  With  the  exception  of  kidnapping 
the  lad  Sanford,  the  British  behaved  with  praise- 
worthy moderation  during  their  march  through 
Redding.  No  buildings  were  burned,  and  no  such 
enormities  committed  as  marked  their  descent  on 
Fairfield  and  New  Haven  two  years  later. 

After  their  departure  nothing  further  of  a  warlike 
nature  occurred  in  the  town,  until  the  encampment 
in  Redding  in  the  winter  of  1778-9  of  General 
Putnam's  division  of  the  Continental  Army.  This 
division  comprised  General  Poor' s  brigade  of  New 
Hampshire  troops,  the  two  brigades  of  Connecticut 
troops,  the  corps  of  infantry  commanded  by  Hazen, 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  55 

and  that  of  cavalry  by  Sheldon.  This  division 
had  been  operating  along  the  Hudson  during  the 
fall,  and  as  winter  approached  it  was  decided  that  it 
should  go  into  winter  quarters  at  Redding,  as  from 
this  position  it  could  support  the  important  fort- 
ress of  West  Point  in  case  of  attack,  overawe 
the  Cow  Boys  and  Skinners  of  Westchester 
County,  and  cover  the  country  adjacent  to  the 
Sound.  Accordingly,  early  in  November,  General 
Putnam  arrived  with  several  of  his  general  officers 
to  select  sites  for  the  proposed  camps.  Three  were 
marked  out :  the  first  in  the  north-eastern  part  of 
Lonetown,  near  the  Bethel  line,  on  land  now  owned 
by  Aaron  Tread  well.  The  second  also  in  Lonetown, 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  west,  on  the  farm  of  the  late 
Sherlock  Todd,  a  short  distance  south-west  of  his 
dwelling-house.  The  third  camp  wns  in  West  Red- 
ding, on  the  ridge  lying  east  of  Uriah  Griffin's,  on 
land  now  owned  by  him,  and  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  north  of  Redding  Station.  The  sites  of  all 
three  camps  may  be  easily  distinguished  by  the  ruins 
of  the  stone  chimneys  which  formed  one  side  of  the 
log  huts  in  which  the  troops  were  sheltered.  The 
ruins  of  the  first  camp  are  most  distinct,  and  form 
perhaps  one  of  the  best  preserved,  as  well  as  most 
interesting,  relics  of  the  Revolution  within  the  reach 
of  the  antiquary.  This  camp  was  laid  out  with  ad- 
mirable judgment,  at  the  foot  of  the  rocky  bluffs  which 
fence  in  on  the  west  the  valley  of  the  Little  River. 
The  barracks  were  so  disposed  as  to  form  an  avenue 
nearly  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  length,  and  several 
yards  in  width.  At  the  west  end  of  the  camp  was  a 
mountain  brook,  which  furnished  a  plentiful  supply 


56  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

of  water  ;  near  the  brook  is  a  heap  of  cinders  which 
probably  marks  the  spot  where  a  forge  was  erected. 
The  camp  was  until  recently  covered  with  heavy 
forests,  which  explains  perhaps  the  secret  of  its  pres- 
ervation. The  present  owner  is  clearing  up  the  un- 
derbrush which  has  overgrown  the  ruins,  rendering 
it  easy  of  access  to  visitors,  and  it  will  in  time  no 
doubt  become  a  favorite  place  of  resort.  Only  a  few 
heaps  of  stone  mark  the  site  of  the  second  camp, 
which  was  also  laid  out  on  the  southerly  slope  of  a 
hill,  with  a  stream  of  running  water  at  its  base. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  the  camp  at  Long  Ridge. 

As  to  the  exact  location  of  Putnam' s  headquarters 
at  this  time,  authorities  differ,  but  all  agree  in  plac- 
ing it  on  Umpawaug  Hill.  Mr.  Barber,  in  his  "  His- 
torical Collections,"  says  it  was  the  old  house  that, 
stood  until  recently  on  the  corner  of  the  road  lead- 
ing down  to  Sanford's  Station,  a  short  distance 
north  of  Andrew  Perry's  present  residence.  Mr. 
Lossing,  in  his  "Field  Book  of  the  Revolution," 
makes  the  same  statement ;  but  I  am  informed  by 
an  aged  resident,  whose  father  was  an  officer  in  the 
Revolutionary  army,  and  visited  General  Putnam  at 
his  headquarters,  that  they  were  in  an  old  house 
that  then  stood  between  the  residence  of  the  late 
Burr  Meeker  and  that  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Brady, 
and  that  the  first-named  was  his  guard-house.  The 
question  is  one  of  little  importance  perhaps,  except 
to  those  who  demand  the  utmost  possible  accuracy 
in  the  statement  of  fact. 

Some  of  the  officers  were  quartered  in  the  house 
now  occupied  by  Seth  Todd,  then  owned  by  Samuel 
Gould  ;  others  in  a  house  that  stood  on  the  site  of 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  57 

the  one  recently  occupied  by  Sherlock  Todd.  Gen- 
eral Parson's  headquarters  were  on  Redding  Ridge. 

While  the  army  lay  at  Redding  several  events  of 
importance  occurred,  which  are  worthy  of  narrating 
with  some  degree  of  particularity.  The  troops  went 
into  winter  quarters  this  year  in  no  pleasant  humor, 
and  almost  in  the  spirit  of  insubordination.  This 
was  peculiarly  the  case  with  the  Connecticut  troops. 
They  had  endured  privations  that  many  men  would 
have  sunk  under  —the  horrors  of  battle,  the  weari- 
ness of  the  march,  cold,  hunger,  and  nakedness. 
What  was  worse,  they  had  been  paid  in  the  depreci- 
ated currency  of  the  times,  which  had  scarcely  any 
purchasing  power,  and  their  devoted  families  at 
home  were  reduced  to  the  lowest  extremity  of  want 
and  wretchedness. 

The  forced  inactivity  of  the  camp  gave  them  time 
to  brood  over  their  wrongs,  until  at  length  they 
formed  the  bold  resolve  of  marching  to  Hartford, 
and  presenting  their  grievances  in  person  to  the 
Legislature  then  sitting.  The  two  brigades  were 
under  arms  for  this  purpose  before  news  of  the  re- 
volt was  brought  to  Putnam.  He,  with  his  usual  in- 
trepidity and  decision  of  character,  threw  himself 
upon  his  horse  and  dashed  down  the  road  leading 
to  his  camps,  never  slacking  rein  until  lie  drew  up 
in  the  presence  of  the  disaffected  troops.  "  My 
brave  lads,"  cried  he,  "  whither  are  you  going?  Do 
you  intend  to  desert  your  officers,  and  to  invite  the 
enemy  to  follow  you  into  the  country  \  Whose 
cause  have  you  been  fighting  and  suffering  so  long 
in — is  it  not  your  own  \  Have  you  no  property,  no 
parents,  wives,  or  children  ?  You  have  behaved  like 


58  HISTORY  OF  BEDDING. 

men  so  far — all  the  world  is  full  of  your  praises,  and 
posterity  will  stand  astonished  at  your  deeds  ;  but 
not  if  you  spoil  all  at  last.  Don't  you  consider  how 
much  the  country  is  distressed  by  the  war,  and  that 
your  officers  have  not  been  any  better  paid  than 
yourselves  ?  But  we  all  expect  better  times,  and 
that  the  country  will  do  us  ample  justice.  Let  us 
all  stand  by  one  another  then,  and  fight  it  out  like 
brave  soldiers.  Think  what  a  shame  it  would  be  for 
Connecticut  men  to  run  away  from  their  officers." 
When  he  had  finished  this  stirring  speech,  lie 
directed  the  acting  major  of  brigades  to  give  the 
word  for  them  to  shoulder,  inarch  to  their  regimen- 
tal parades,  and  lodge  arms,  which  was  done  ;  one 
soldier  only,  a  ringleader  in  the  affair,  was  con- 
fined in  the  guard-house,  from  which  he  attempted 
to  escape,  but  was  shot  dead  by  the  sentinel  on  duty 
—himself  one  of  the  mutineers.  Thus  ended  the 
affair,  and  no  further  trouble  was  experienced  with 
the  Connecticut  troops. 

Xothing  had  so  much  annoyed  Putnam  and  his 
officers  during  the  campaign  of  the  preceding  sum- 
mer on  the  Hudson  than  the  desertions  which  had 
thinned  his  ranks,  and  the  Tory  spies,  who  fre- 
quented his  camps,  under  every  variety  of  pretext, 
and  forthwith  conveyed  the  information  thus  gath- 
ered to  the  enemy.  To  put  a  stop  to  this  it  had  been 
determined  that  the  next  offender  of  either  sort  cap- 
tured should  suffer  death  as  an  example,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  usages  of  war.  The  time  for  putting 
this  determination  into  execution  soon  arrived.  One 
day  some  scouts  from  Putnam's  outposts  in  W<>M 
Chester  County  captured  a  man  lurking  within  their 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  59 

lines,  and  as  he  could  give  no  satisfactory  account 
of  himself  he  was  at  once  haled  over  the  borders, 
and  into  the  presence  of  the  command er-in-chief .  In 
answer  to  his  queries,  the  prisoner  said  that  his  name 
was  Jones,  that  he  was  a  Welshman  by  birth,  and 
had  settled  in  Ridgefield  a  few  years  before  the  war 
commenced :  that  he  had  never  faltered  in  his  al- 
legiance to  the  king,  and  that  at  the  outbreak  of  hos- 
tilities he  had  fled  to  the  British  army,  and  had  Ipeen 
made  a  butcher  in  the  camp  ;  a  few  weeks  before, 
he  had  been  sent  into  Westchester  County  to  buy 
beeves  for  the  army,  and  had  been  captured  as  above 
narrated.  He  was  remanded  to  the  guard -house 
and  a  court-martial  at  once  ordered  for  his  trial. 
The  result  is  to  be  found  in  the  following  document 
found  among  the  papers  of  the  late  Lieutenant  Sam- 
uel Richards,  paymaster  in  Colonel  Wylly's  regi- 
ment :  * 

1 '  Feb.  4, 1779.  Was  tried  at  a  General  Court  Mar- 
tial Edward  Jones  for  Going  to  and  serving  the  en- 
emy, and  coming  out  as  a  spy — found  guilty  of  each 
and  every  charge  Exhibited  against  him,  and  accord- 
ing to  Law  and  the  Usages  of  Nations  was  sen- 
tenced to  suffer  Death. 

' '  The  General  approves  the  sentence  and  orders  it 
to  be  put  in  Execution  between  the  hours  of  ten  and 
eleven  A.M.  by  hanging  him  by  the  neck  till  he  be 
Dead." 

Two  days  after  another  court-martial  was  held  for 
a  similar  offence,  as  the  following  proves  : 

*  Many  other  papers  from  the  Richards  Collection,  both  interest- 
ing and  valuable,  will  be  found  in  this  work.  The  originals  are  in  the 
possession  of  Hon.  D.  B.  Booth,  of  Danbury,  Avho  has  kindly  al- 
lowed me  to  copy  them. 


60  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

"  Feb.  6, 1779.  At  a  Gen'l  Court  Martial  was  tried 
John  Smith  of  the  1st  Connecticut  Regiment  for  de- 
sertion and  attempting  to  go  to  the  Enemy,  found 
guilty,  and  further  persisting  in  saying  that  he  will 
#;o  to  the  Enemy  if  ever  he  has  an  opportunity,  Sen- 
tenced to  be  shot  to  death,  and  orders  that  it  be  put 
in  Execution  between  the  hours  of  ten  and  twelve 

A.M." 

General  Putnam  having  two  prisoners  under  sen- 
tence of  death  determined  to  execute  them  both  at 
once,  or  as  he  expressed  it,  "  make  a  double  job  of 
it,"  and  at  the  same  time  make  the  spectacle  as 
terrible  and  impressive  as  the  circumstances  de- 
manded. The  lofty  hill  dominating  the  valley  and 
the  camps  (known  to  this  day  as  Gallows  Hill)  was 
chosen  as  the  scene  of  the  execution,  the  instru- 
ment of  death  being  erected  on  its  highest  pinnacle. 
The  details  of, the  execution,  for  reasons  which  will 
appear,  I  prefer  to  give  in  the  words  of  the  three 
different  historians  who  have  chronicled  it.  Mr. 
Barber,  in  his  "Historical  Collections  of  Connecti- 
cut," p.  399,  says  : 

"  The  scene  which  took  place  at  the  execution 
of  these  men  is  described  as  shocking  and  bloody. 
The  man  on  whom  the  duty  of  hangman  devolved 
left  the  camp,  and  on  the  clay  of  execution  could 
not  be  found.  A  couple  of  boys  about  the  age 
of  twelve  years  were  ordered  by  General  Put- 
nam to  perform  the  duties  of  the  absconding  hang- 
man. The  gallows  was  about  twenty  feet  from  the 
ground.  Jones  was  compelled  to  ascend  the  lad- 
der, and  the  rope  around  his  neck  was  attached  to 
the  cross-beam.  General  Putnam  then  ordered  Jones 
to  jump  from  the  ladder.  'No,  General  Putnam.' 
said  Jones,  '  I  am  innocent  of  the  crime  laid  to  my 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  61 

charge  ;  I  shall  not  do  it.'  Putnam  then  ordered 
the  boys  before  mentioned  to  turn  the  ladder  over. 
These  boys  were  deeply  affected  by  the  trying  scene  ; 
they  cried  and  sobbed  loudly,  and  earnestly  en- 
treated to  be  excused  from  doing  any  thing  on  this 
distressing  occasion.  Putnam,  drawing  his  sword, 
ordered  them  forward,  and  compelled  them  at  the 
sword's  point  to  obey  his  orders.  The  soldier  that 
was  shot  for  desertion  was  but  a  youth  of  sixteen 
or  seventeen  years  of  age.  Three  balls  were  shot 
through  his  breast :  he  fell  on  his  face,  but  immedi- 
ately turned  over  on  his  back  ;  a  soldier  then  ad- 
vanced, and  putting  the  muzzle  of  his  gun  near  the 
convulsive  body  of  the  youth,  discharged  its  contents 
into  his  forehead.  The  body  was  then  taken  up  and 
put  into  a  coffin  ;  the  soldiers  had  fired  their  pieces 
so  near,  that  they  set  the  boy's  clothes  on  fire,  which 
continued  burning.  An  officer  with  a  drawn  sword 
stood  by,  while  every  soldier  of  the  three  brigades 
who  were  out  on  the  occasion  was  ordered  to  march 
by  and  look  at  the  mangled  remains." 

Mr.  Barber  says  in  a  foot-note  that  the  above  par- 
ticulars were,  derived  from  an  aged  inhabitant  of 
Heading,  who  was  present  on  the  occasion,  and  stood 
but  a  few  feet  from  Jones  when  he  was  executed. 
Mr.  Hollister,  in  his  "  History  of  Connecticut,"  takes 
exception  to  the  above  account.  In  Vol.  ii. ,  page  87o, 
of  his  work,  he  has  the  following  note  : 

"  The  Rev.  Nathaniel  Bartlett,  who  was  pastor 
of  the  Congregational  church  in  Redding  for  a 
period  of  fifty  years,  officiated  as  chaplain  to  the 
encampment  during  the  winter,  and  was  present  at 
the  execution.  He  interceded  with  General  Put- 
nam to  defer  the  execution  of  Smith  until  Wash- 
ington could  be  consulted — the  offender  b.eing  a 
youth  of  seventeen  years  ;  but  the  commander 


62  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

assured  him  that  a  reprieve  could  not  be  granted. 
Mr.  Bartlett  was  an  earnest  and  fearless  AVhiir. 
and  openly  talked  and  preached  'rebellion' — so 
much  so,  that  the  Tories,  who  were  numerous  in 
the  eastern  part  of  the  town,  threatened  to  hang  him 
if  they  could  catch  him.  In  consequence  of  these 
threats  he  often  carried  a  loaded  musket  with  him 
when  on  his  parochial  visits.  His  son  and  successor 
in  the  ministry  at  Redding — the  Rev.  Jonathan 
Bartlett,  now  (1855)  in  his  ninety-first  year — well  re- 
members the  Revolutionary  encampment  at  Red- 
ding and  frequently  visited  it.  He  is  sure  that  the 
story  in  Barber's  'Historical  Collections'  about 
Putnam's  inhumanity  at  the  execution  of  Smith  and 
Jones  is  incorrect.  Though  not  present  himself,  he 
has  often  heard  his  father  relate  the  incidents  of  the 
occasion  ;  and  furthermore  he  once  called  the  atten- 
tion of  Colonel  Asahel  Salmon  (who  died  in  1848, 
aged  ninety-one),  who  was  a  sergeant  in  attendance 
upon  the  execution,  to  the  statement,  and  he  de- 
clared that  nothing  of  the  kind  took  placv." 

Another  historian,  Rev.  Thomas  F.  Davies,  in  an 
historical  sermon  delivered  at  Green's  Farms  in  1839, 
also  takes  exception  to  Mr.  Barber's  statement.  He 
says  : 

"  Mr.  Barber  must  have  been  misinformed. 
Reading  is  my  native  town,  and  from  my  boyhood 
I  have  heard  the  history  of  the  proceedings  on  the 
occasion  referred  to,  and  was  much  surprised  at  the 
statements  in  the  '  Historical  Collections.'  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Bartlett,  whose  father  was  chaplain  on  that 
occasion,  informs  me  that  General  Putnam  could 
not  have  been  guilty  of  the  acts  there  charged. 

"That  Mr.  Barber  may  have  something  to  substi- 
tute for  the  narrative  to  which  I  object,  I  give  the 
following : 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  03 

"When  General  Putnam  occupied  the  house  of 
which  Mr.  Barber  has  given  an  engraving,  a  scene 
occurred  which  presents  the  General  in  a  very  amia- 
ble light.  A  poor  man  with  a  family  needing  sup- 
port, and  who  lived  in  the  neighboring  town  of 
Ridgefield,  wras  told  by  one  acquainted  with  his 
wants,  that  if  he  would  visit  General  Putnam  and 
hold  a  conversation  with  him,  he  would  on  his  re- 
turn, and  on  proof  of  the  fact,  give  him  a  bushel  of 
wheat.  The  temptation  in  that  time  of  scarcity  and 
taxes  was  great,  and  so  also  was  the  fear  of  intrud- 
ing upon  so  distinguished  an  individual ;  but  the 
stern  necessities  of  his  condition  at  length  induced 
the  poor  man  to  venture.  He  accordingly  presented 
himself  at  headquarters,  and  requested  the  servant 
to  solicit  for  him  an  interview  with  the  General. 
Putnam  promptly  summoned  the  man  to  his  pres- 
ence, directed  him  to  be  seated,  and  listened  with 
interest  while  the  man  with  great  trepidation  gave 
the  statement  which  accounted  for  the  liberty  he 
had  taken.  The  General  directed  the  servant  to 
bring  some  wine,  conversed  for  a  time  very  pleas- 
antly with  his  needy  visitor,  and  then  calling  for  pen 
and  ink,  wrote  a  certificate  in  which-  he  gives  the 
name  of  the  individual,  and  stated  that  he  had  vis- 
ited and  conversed  with  General  Putnam,  who 
signed  it  in  his  official  character.  Thus  furnished 
with  the  means  of  giving  bread  to  his  family,  the 
distressed  individual  returned  to  his  humble  roof ; 
and  this  anecdote,  which  I  have  on  the  very  best 
authority,  is  proof  that  Putnam  was  not  destitute  of 
those  kind  and  gentle  affections  which  are  so  desira- 
ble an  ornament  of  the  most  heroic  character." 

This  diversity  of  statements  has  led  the  writer  to 
investigate  the  matter  more  thoroughly  than  he 
would  otherwise  have  done  ;  and  the  weight  of 
proof  seems  to  be  in  favor  of  the  correctness  of  Mr. 
Barber's  statement.  His  version  of  the  affair  is 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

the  one  generally  prevalent  in  the  town,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  Putnam's  forcing  the  boys  to  become  ex- 
ecutioners. Nor  is  there  any  thing  in  the  story  in- 
consistent with  Putnam's  known  character  and  tern 
perament.  He  had  been  a  man  of  war  from  his 
youth,  in  perils  often  from  wild  beasts,  the  ele- 
ments, the  wilderness,  and  the  Indians. 

Long  service  in  the  bloody  French  and  Indian 
wars  had  scarcely  taught  him  amiability.  Boldness, 
firmness,  promptness,  decision — these  were  tho 
chief  elements  of  his  character,  and  at  this  particular 
crisis  all  were  needed.  There  was  disaffection  and 
insubordination  in  the  army,  as  has  been  seen.  De- 
sertions were  frequent,  and  spying  by  the  Tories  was 
almost  openly  practised.  To  put  a  stop  to  these 
practices  was  vitally  necessary  to  the  safety  of  the 
army  ;  and  as  the  prisoners  had  been  tried  and  sen- 
tenced to  death  by  a  competent  tribunal,  it  was  Put- 
nam's duty  to  see  that  the  sentence  was  carried  into 
effect.  If  the  execution  was  bunglingly  done,  the 
fault  was  with  the  executioners,  and  not  with  the 
General. 

As  was  to  be  expected,  the  citizens  of  Redding  felt 
quite  honored  by  the  selection  of  their  town  for  the 
army's  winter  quarters,  and  welcomed  heartily  the 
dusty  battalions  as  they  filed  into  camp  ;  but  a  few- 
months'  acquaintance  opened  their-  eyes  to  some  of 
the  ways  of  soldiers,  and  caused  them  to  speed  the 
army  in  the  spring  as  heartily  as  they  had  wel- 
comed it  in  the  autumn.  The  soldiers  argued  that 
as  they  were  fighting  the  country's  battles  it  de- 
volved on  the  latter  to  furnish  the  sinews  of  war,  and 
plundered  the  neighboring  farmers,  whether  Whig  or 


HISTORY  OF  11EDDING.  65 

Tory,  with  the  utmost  impartiality.  To  them  a  well- 
stocked  poultry  yard  or  a  pen  of  fat  porkers  offered 
irresistible  inducements.  A  milch  cow  never  failed 
of  a  circle  of  devoted  admirers,  while  bands  of  merry 
reavers  occasionally  stole  over  the  borders  into  the 
neighboring  towns,  and  harried  in  under  cover  of 
night  droves  of  fat  cattle,  which  were  killed  and 
eaten  with  as  little  formality  as  they  were  taken. 
AVith  the  morning  would  come  the  owner  complain- 
ing of  these  little  peccadilloes,  but  as  he  could  never 
prove  property  nor  identify  the  rogues,  they  usu- 
ally escaped  punishment.  After  a  time,  however, 
the  wary  farmers  foiled  the  depredators  by  herding 
their  live-stock  over  night  in  the  cellars  of  their 
houses  and  in  other  secure  places. 

The  ringleader  in  all  these  forays  was  Tom  War- 
rups,  an  Indian,  grandson  of  the  chief  Chickens, 
whose  story  is  given  in  the  earlier  pages  of  this  work, 
and  one  of  Putnam's  most  valued  scouts  and  mes- 
sengers. Tom  possessed  a  great  deal  of  individual- 
ity, and  impressed  himself  on  a  succeeding  genera- 
tion to  the  extent  -that  numberless  anecdotes  are  re- 
membered and  told  about  him  to  this  day.  Some  of 
these,  illustrating  the  Indian  character,  are  worthy 
the  attention  of  the  grave  historian.  Tom  had  a 
weakness  for  liquor,  which  would  have  caused  his 
expulsion  from  the  camp  had  it  not  been  for  his  ser- 
vices as  scout  and  guide.  One  day  he  was  seen  de- 
plorably drunk,  and  the  officer  of  the  day  in  disgust 
ordered  him  to  be  ridden  out  of  the  camp.  A  stout 
rail  was  brought,  Tom  was  placed  astride  of  it,  four 
men  hoisted  it  upon  their  shoulders,  and  the  caval- 
cade started.  On  their  way  they  met  General  Put- 
6 


66  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

nam  with  his  aids,  making  the  rounds  of  the  camp. 
"Tom,"  said  the  General  sternly,  "how's  this  '. 
Aren't  you  ashamed  to  be  seen  riding  out  of  camp 
in  this  way  ?"  "  Yes,"  replied  Tom,  with  drunken 
gravity.  "  Tom  is  ashamed,  vera  mooch  ashamed, 
to  see  poor  Indian  ride  and  the  Gineral  he  go  afoot.' ' 
Tom  had  a  house  on  the  high  ridge  back  of  Captain 
Isaac  Hamilton's,  now  owned  by  William  Sherwood. 
It  was  built,  it  is  said,  in  primitive  Indian  style,  of 
poles  set  firmly  in  the  ground,  then  bent  and  fas- 
tened together  at  the  top.  This  framework  was  cov- 
ered with  bark,  and  roofed  with  reeds  and  rushes. 
Its  furniture  consisted  of  framework  bedsteads,  with 
bedding  of  skins,  wooden  bowls  fashioned  from  pep- 
perage  knots,  huge  wooden  spoons,  baskets  made  of 
rushes  or  long  grass,  pails  of  birch  bark,  and  an  iron 
pot  and  skillet  begged  or  borrowed  from  the  settlers. 
His  sister  Eunice  was  his  housekeeper.  Except  in 
war  he  was  a  worthless,  shiftless  fellow,  and  lived 
chiefly  by  begging  ;  hunting  and  trapping  were  his 
recreations.  He  would  often  absent  himself  from 
his  hut  for  weeks  at  a  time,  sleeping  in  barns  or  in 
the  forest.  A  huge  overhanging  rock  about  a  mile 
north  of  Georgetown  often  sheltered  him  on  these 
occasions,  and  is  still  known  as  Warrup's  Rock. 

Tom's  neighbor  and  landlord  before  the  war  was 
Colonel  John  Read,  son  of  the  early  settler  of  that 
name.  On  one  occasion  the  colonel  had  a  company 
of  gentlemen  from  Boston  to  visit  him,  and  planned 
a  grand  hunt  in  their  honor.  Tom  was  always  mast  cr 
of  the  revels  at  such  times,  and  piloted  the  party  on 
this  occasion.  In  their  rambles  through  the  forests 
they  came  to  a  spring,  and  being  thirsty  one  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  07 

party  lamented  that  they  had  left  their  hunting  cups 
behind.  Tom  at  once  slipped  off  his  shoe,  and  fill- 
ing it  with  water  offered  it  to  the  guest  to  drink  ; 
whereupon  Colonel  Read  reproved  him  sharply  for 
his  ill-breeding.  Tom  drank  from  the  vessel  while 
the  homily  was  being  delivered,  and  then  replaced 
the  shoe,  observing  with  the  haughtiness  of  a  king, 
"  Good  enough  for  Indian,  good  enough  for  white 
man  too." 

After  the  war  Captain  Zalmon  Read  and  Tom 
were  near  neighbors,  and  the  former  had  a  corn- 
field in  dangerous  proximity  to  Tom's  cabin  ;  he 
missed  the  corn  and  suspected  Tom,  and  watching, 
not  only  discovered  him  to  be  the  thief,  but  also 
his  ingenious  plan  of  procedure.  About  midnight 
the  Indian  would  come,  basket  in  hand,  and  seated 
on  the  top  rail  of  the  fence  would  thus  address  the 
field:  "Lot,  can  Tom  have  some  corn?"  "Yes, 
Tom,"  the  lot  would  reply,  "take  all  you  want ;" 
whereupon  Tom  would  fill  his  basket  with  ears  and 
march  off.  The  next  night,  as  the  story  goes,  the 
captain  armed  himself  with  a  grievous  hickory  club 
and  lay  in  wait  behind  the  fence.  Presently  Tom 
came,  repeated  his  formula,  and  proceeded  to  fill  his 
basket,  but  when  he  returned  with  it  to  the  fence,  it 
was  occupied  by  the  captain,  who  proceeded  to  re- 
peat Tom's  formula  with  a  variation.  "  Lot,  can  I 
beat  Tom  ?"  "  Yes,' '  the  lot  replied,  "  beat  him  all 
he  deserves  ;"  whereupon  the  fun-loving  captain  fell 
upon  the  culprit  and  gave  him  the  thorough  beating 
Avhich  his  roguery  deserved. 

One  more  anecdote  of  Tom  must  suffice.  One  day 
he  went  to  a  neighbor's  house  and  demanded  whis- 
key. No,  the  neighbor  was  of  the  opinion  that 


GS  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

whiskey  was  bad  for  Tom.  "  Rum,  then."  "  !N«>.' ' 
*'  Cider."  "  No,  cider  was  bad  too  ;  food  he  might 
have  to  keep  him  from  starving,  but  no  fire-water." 
Tom  ruminated.  '"  Well,"  said  he  at  length,  "  give 
me  toast  and  cider" — a  favorite  dish  in  those  days — 
and  in  this  way  won  the  desired  stimulant. 

Some  years  after,  when  age  was  creeping  on,  Tom 
and  his  sister  removed  to  the  Indian  reservation  at 
Schaticook,  in  Kent,  whither  his  tribe  had  preceded 
him,  and  the  time  and  manner  of  his  death  was  un- 
known to  his  white  brethren  in  Redding. 

This  is  a  long  digression,  pardonable  in  this  con- 
nection only  because  its  subject  was  one  of  the  brave 
defenders  of  his  country. 

Among  the  papers  in  the  "  Richards  Collection" 
are  some  that  are  interesting  as  detailing  little  epi- 
sodes of  camp  life,  as  well  as  some  that  possess  con- 
siderable historic  value.  They  are  as  follows  : 

"HEADQUARTERS,  READING,  3Iay  28,  1779. 

"Daniel  Vaughn  and  Jonathan  Gore  of  the  8th 
Connecticut  Regt  Tryd  by  a  Brigade  C.  M. 
whereof  Lt.  Col.  Sumner  was  President,  For  Steal- 
ing a  Cup  from  Capt.  Zalmon  Read  of  Reading. 
The  Court  are  of  Opinion  the  charges  against  Vaughn 
and  Gore  are  not  supported. 

"B.  O." 

"CAMP,  SXD  HILL,  Nov.  14,  1778. 

"  The  General  having  obtained  permission  of  the 
Commander  In  Chief  to  be  Absent  a  few  days  from 
the  Division,  the  Command  will  devolve  upon  Brig 
adier  Gen'l  Huntington.  Gen'l  McDougal  is  happy 
rliat  it  falls  upon  a  Gentleman  in  whose  care  for  and 
attention  to  the  Troops  he  has  the  utmost  Confidence. 
The  Orders  will  be  issued  as  usual  at  the  Head- 
quarters of  the  Division." 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  CO 

GEXKHAL  PUTNAM'S  ORDERS. 

"  READING,  Dec.  18,  1778. 

"  Lieut.  Col.  Butler  of  Wylly's  Reg.  is  promoted 
to  the  command  of  the  2nd  Company  Battalion  and 
is  to  be  obeyed  as  such.  Col.  Meigs  is  appointed 
Inspector  to  the  Division  and  to  do  the  duty  of 
Adjt.  General  for  the  same  until  further  Orders- 
Quartermaster  Belding  of  the  First  Conn.  Brigade  is 
appointed  Quartermaster  of  the  Division  and  is  to  do 
that  duty  until  further  Orders.  David  Humphrey 
Esq.  late  Brigade  Major  to  Gen'l  Parsons  is  ap- 
pointed aide  de  camp  to  Gen'l  Putnam  till  further 
Orders." 

"FEB.  13,  1779. 

"The  Gen'l  Directs  that  no  person  be  permitted 
to  visit  the  Prisoners  under  sentence  of  Death  Un- 
less at  their  Request  as  frequent  Complaints  have 
been  made  that  they  are  interrupted  in  their  Private 
Devotions  by  persons  who  came  for  no  other  Pur- 
pose but  to  Insult  them." 

"  At  a  Gen'l  Court  Martial  Jield  at  Bedford  Oct.  3 
1778,  By  order  of  Gen.  Scott  wliereof  Lt.  Col. 
Blaisden  was  President. 

'"'  Elisha  Smith  a  private  in  Capt.  Stoddard's  Co. 
2d  Regt.  Light  Dragoons  was  tryed  for  Deserting 
to  the  Enemy  last  August  and  JPiloting  them  into 
and  against  the  troops  of  this  State  Defrauding  the 
publick,  by  selling  his  horse  and  Accouterments  in 
a  Treasonable  Manner  to  the  Enemy  and  for  Menac- 
ing and  Insulting  his  officers  while  a  Prisoner,  found 
Guilty,  and  Sentence  Him  to  Suffer  the  pains  of 
Death — His  Excellency  the  Commander  in  Chief  Ap- 
proves the  Sentence^  and  Orders  s'  d  Elisha  Smith  to 
be  Executed  next  Monday  the  12th  Inst.  at  11 
O  Clock  A.M.  at  or  near  Bedford  as  Gen.  Scott  shall 
Direct. '' 

Xo  date  :  "  Divine  Service  will  be  performed  to 
morrow  at  the  Church,  to  begin  at  11  O  Clock  A.M. 


70  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

Those  off  Duty  are  to  March  from  Camp  so  as  to  be 
at  the  Church  by  that  time." 

The  "Church1'  was  the  Congregational  at  the 
Centre,  and  the  preacher  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  Bart- 
lett. 

"  HEADQUARTERS,  May  27,  1779. 

"  Major  General  Putnam  being  (about)  to  take 
command  of  one  of  the  Wings  of  the  Grand  Army, 
before  he  leaves  the  Troops  who  have  served  under 
him  the  winter  past,  thinks  it  his  Duty  to  Signify 
to  them  his  entire  approbation  of  their  Regular  and 
Soldier  like  Conduct,  and  wishes  them  (wherever 
they  may  happen  to  be  out)  a  Successful  and  Glo- 
rious Campaign." 

Hazen's  command  seems  to  have  been  the  first  to 
break  camp  in  the  spring,  as  the  following  proves  : 

"HEAD  QUARTERS,  READING,  March,  21,  1779. 

"  Col.  Hazen's  Regt.  will  march  to  Springfield  in 
3  Divisions  by  the  shortest  notice :  the  first  Divis- 
ion will  march  on  Monday  next,  and  the  other  two 
will  follow  on  Thursday  and  Friday  next,  Weather 
permitting,  and  in  case  the  detached  parties  join  the 
Regt.  Col.  Hazen  will  take  with,  him  one  peice  of 
Cannon  and  a  proportionable  Number  of  Artillery 
men." 

April  llth,  the  following  order  was  issued  : 

"  HEAD  QUARTERS,  Apr.  llth,  1779. 

"  The  officers  are  Requested  to  lose  no  time  in  Pre- 
paring for  the  field,  that  they  may  be  ready  to  leave 
their  present  Quarters  at  the  Shortest  Notice.  The 
Q.  M.  Gen'l — as  far  as  it  is  in  his  power  will  supply 
those  with  Portmanteaus,  who  have  not  been  fur- 
nished before,  and  those  who  have  or  shall  be  pro- 
vided are  on  no  account  to  cany  chests  or  Boxes  into 
the  field.  The  portmanteaus  are  given  by  the  pub- 
lick  to  Supersede  those  of  such  Cumbersome  articles 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  71 

in  order  to  contract  the  Baggage  of  the  Army  and 
lessen  the  Number  of  Waggons,  which  besides  saving 
the  Expense,  is  attended  with  many  obvious  and 
most  Important  Military  Advantages.  The  General 
also  thinks  it  necessary  to  give  explicit  notice  in 
time  with  a  View  to  have  the  army  as  little  Encum- 
bered as  possible  in  all  its  movements,  and  to  pre- 
vent burthening  the  public  and  the  farmers  more 
than  can  be  avoided.  No  officer  whose  Duty  does 
not  Really  require  him  to  be  on  horseback— will  be 
permitted  to  keep  horses  with  the  Army — It  ought 
to  be  the  pride  of  an  officer  to  share  the  fatigues,  as 
well  [as]  the  Dangers  to  which  his  men  are  exposed 
<  >n  foot.  Marching  by  their  sides  he  will  lessen  every 
inconvenience  and  Excite  in  them  a  spirit  of  patience 
and  perseverance.  Inability  alone  can  justify  a  De- 
viation from  this  necessary  practice.  Gen.  Wash- 
ington strongly  recommends  to  the  officers  to  Divest 
themselves  as  much  as  possible  of  Every  thing  Super- 
fluous— Taking  to  the  field  only  what  is  Essential  for 
Dining  and  Comfort.  Such*  as  have  not  particular 
friends  within  reach  with  whom  they  would  choose 
to  confide  their  Baggage,  will  apply  to  the  Q.  M. 
Gen'l  who  will  appoint  a  place  for  their  Reception 
and  furnish  Means  of  Transportation. " 

"  READING,  May  24,  1779. 

"  Gen.  Parsons  orders  the  Brigade  to  be  Ready  to 
March  to  Morrow  at  6  o  Clock  A.M.  Complet  for 
Action. ' ' 

This  brigade  seems  to  have  returned  to  the  High- 
lands ma  Ridgefield  and  Bedford,  as  General  Par- 
sons dates  his  next  order  at  Ridgefield,  May  30  : 

"That  Col.  Wyllys  furnish  a  Sergt.  Corp.  and 
12  privates  to  be  posted  as  a  Guard  this  Night 
one  quarter  of  a  Mile  in  front  of  where  his  Regt.  is 
quartered  on  the  road  leading  to  Bedford.  That 
Col.  Meigs  furnish  a  Guard  of  the  Same  Number 


72  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

and  Distance  on  the  road  leading  to  Norwalk.  The 
Revielle  to  be  beat  to-morrow  morning  at  the  Dawn 
of  Day,  the  troops  to  parade  at  4  o'clock  half  a  mile 
below  the  meeting  house,  on  the  road  leading  to 
Bedford,  for  which  place  they  will  march  immedi- 
ately after  in  the  same  order  as  this  day." 

"  BEDFORD,  May  31st,  1771). 

"  The  troops  of  Gen.  Parson's  Brigade  to  have 
two  Days  .  .  .  per  man  from  Capt.  Townsend  .  .  . 
refresh  themselves,  and  be  ready  to  march  in  two 
hours  to  Parade  near  the  Meeting  house." 

"  FISIIKILL,  June  2,  1779. 

"  Gen.  Parsons  orders  that  Com'sr  Sturm  deliver 
one  gill  of  Rum  per  man,  and  two  Days  provision 
tp  the  troops  of  his  Brigade,  this  Day. — The  Qr.  mas- 
tar  to  make  return  for  the  same." 

"  HD.  QUAKTEKS,  HIGHLANDS,  June  6,  1779. 

"  General  McDougal  Orders  a  Detachment  of  !."><> 
Men  Properly  Officered  from  Gen.  Parson's  and 
Huntington's  Brigades  to  parade  at  12  o  clock,  with 
arms,  ammunition,  accouterments.  Blankets  and 
three  dajTs  Provisions  in  front  of  Gen.  Hn.  Bel." 
(Huntington's  Brigade). 

"  HD.  Qu.  June  7th,  1779. 

"  The  Grand  Parade  in  front  of  Gen.  Hn.  Bd. 
100  men  properly  Officered  from  Hn.  Bd.  will  parade 
for  piquet  at  3  o'clock  for  the  future.  The  Relief 
will  parade  at  8  o'clock  in  the  morning.  No  person 
will  pass  the  piquet  who  cannot  give  a  Good  Ac'ct. 
of  himself." 

"  The  Signal  of  Alarm  will  be  three  cannon  fired 
Distinctly  by  the  Artillery  in  the  front  line." 

The  following  orders  show  the  route  taken  by 
the  army  in  the  fall  of  1778  from  the  Highlands  to 
Redding  : 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  To 

"  HEAD  QUARTERS,  FREDERICKSBURG,  Oct.  16,  1778. 
"Tomorrow  being  the  Anniversary  of  the  Sur- 
render of  Gen'l  Burgoynes  and  his  Troops  to  the 
Arms  of  America  under  the  Command  of  Major 
Gen'].  Gates,  it  will  be  Commemorated  by  the  firing 
of  thirteen  cannon  from  the  Park  of  Artillery  at  12 
o :  Clock." 

"HEAD  QUARTERS,  Oct.  22,  1778. 

"Nixon's,  Parson's  and  Huntington's  Brigades 
are  to  march  to  morrow  morning  at  7  'o'clock  from 
the  Line  Tinder  the  command  of  Major  Gen'l  Mc- 
Dougall — Orders  of  March — Gen'l  Nixon's  Brigade 
leads,  Huntington's  follows,  Parson's  brings  irp  the 
Rear,  Commanding  Officers  of  Corps  will  be  an- 
swerable for  the  conduct  of  their  men  while  on  the 
March.  Artillery  to  March  in  Centre  of  each  Bri- 
gade— the  Baggage  of  Gen'l  Officers  to  March  in 
Rear  of  the  Troops,  the  other  Baggage  will  march 
in  the  same  order.  Forage  and  Commissary  Wag- 
gons in  the  rear  of  the  Whole." 

"  XEW  MILFORD,  Xov.  5,  1778. 

"  The  Honorable,  the  Continental  Congress  hav- 
ing on  the  12th  of  October  passed  a  Resolution  to 
discourage  prophaneness  in  the  Army  it  is  inserted 
in  this  Division  for  the  information  of  Officers,  and 
Gen.  McDougall  hopes  for  their  aid  and  Counte- 
nance in  Discouraging  and  Suppressing  a  Tice  so  Dis- 
honorable to  human  Nature,  to  the  commission  of 
which  there  is  no  Temptation  enough." 

"  CAMP,  NEW  MILFORD,  Oct.  26,  1778. 

"  His  Excellency  the  Commander  in  Chief  has 
Directed  the  troops  to  remain  here  till  further  or- 
ders— and  be  in  Readiness  to  March  at  the  shortest 
Notice  as  Circumstances  shall  require.  While  the 
Division  is  Reposed,  two  days  brea(l  will  be  on  store 
Continually,  Baked." 


74  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

These  interesting  extracts  might  fitly  conclude  the 
story  of  the  army's  encampment  in  Redding  ;  there 
are,  however,  some  entries  in  the  parish  records, 
proving  that  amid  the  horrors  of  war  sly  Cupid 
found  a  chance  to  inflict  his  wounds,  that  are 
worthy  of  insertion.  They  are  given  as  entered  by 
the  Rev.  Nathaniel  Bartlett : 

"  Feb.  7,  1779.  I  Joined  together  in  marriage 
James  Gibbins  a  soldier  in  the  army  and  Ann  Sul- 
livan." 

"  March  18th,  1779.  I  joined  together  in  marriage 
John  Lines,  a  soldier  in  the  army,  and  Mary  Hen- 
drick." 

"  March  30,  1779.  I  joined  in  marriage  Daniel 
Evarts  a  soldier,  and  Mary  Rowland." 

"  Apr.  15,  1779.  I  joined  in  marriage  Isaac  Olm- 
sted  a  soldier,  and.  Mary  Parsons." 

"  Apr.  28,  1779.  I  joined  in  marriage  Jesse  Belk- 
nap  an  artificer  in  the  army,  and  Eunice  Hall." 

"  May  4,  1779.  I  joined  in  marriage  William 
Little,  Steward  to  Gen.  Parsons,  and  Phebe  Mer- 
chant." 

"  May  23,  1779.  I  joined  in  marriage  Giles  Gilbert 
an  artificer  in  the  army,  and  Deborah  Hall." 

"March  9,  1780.  I  joined  in  marriage  William 
Darrow  a  soldier,  and  Ruth  Bartram." 

In  the  month  of  June,  1781,  Count  de  Rochambeau 
and  the  Duke  de  Lauzun  marched  a  column  of 
French  troops  across  Connecticut  and  took  post  in 
Ridgefield,  within  supporting  distance  of  Washing- 
ton's army  on  the  Hudson. 

They  passed  through  Redding  on  the  march,  and 
encamped  over  night,  it  is  said,  on  the  old  parade- 
ground. 

Their  supply-train  numbered  810  wagons,  most  of 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  75 

them  drawn  by  two  yoke  of  oxen  and  a  horse.  The 
column  attracted  much  attention  as  it  moved  with 
flashing  arms  and  soldierly  precision  over  the  hills 
and  through  the  valleys  on  its  way  to  Ridgefield. 
No  complete  list  of  the  soldiers  furnished  by 
Redding  to  the  Continental  army  can  be  prepared. 
The  following  names  appear  on  the  town  list  of 
Revolutionary  pensioners  :  Colonel  Asahel  Salmons, 
Captain  Zalmon  Read,  Captain  John  Davis,  Joel 
Merchant,  Ezra  Bates,  Calvin  Jenkins,  Ezra  Hull, 
Stephen  Batterson,  Jacob  Patchen,  and  Abraham 
Parsons  ;  and  in  the  town  records  those  whose 
families  were  aided  were  Nathan  Coley,  Stephen 
Meeker,  Elias  Bixby,  Jeremiah  Ryan,  and  Samuel 
Remong. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE   CONGREGATIONAL   CHURCH,    1729-1879. 

THE  Congregational  church  was  the  first  religious 
body  organized  in  the  town.  Deeply  impressed  as 
were  our  Puritan  forefathers  with  the  value  of  relig- 
ion to  the  soul,  they  were  equally  impressed  with 
its  value  to  the  state,  and  were  careful  to  rear,  side 
by  side  with  their  civil  structure,  the  church,  in 
which,  as  they  believed,  the  pure  Gospel  of  Christ 
was  preached,  and  the  soundest  principles  of  moral- 
ity inculcated.  Proof  of  their  pious  care  in  this  re- 
spect is  to  be  found  in  the  history  of  Redding,  as 
in  that  of  almost  every  New  England  town.  As 


76  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

early  as  August,  1729,  but  three  months  after  they 
had  wrung  a  reluctant  consent  from  the  mother 
town  to  assume  parish  privileges,  we  find  them 
providing  for  the  settlement  of  a  minister  among 
them  in  the  following  manner  : 

"  At  a  Society  Meeting  held  in  the  Society  of  Red- 
ding, Deacon  George  Hull  chosen  Moderator.  It  was 
voited  that  s'd  Society  would  give  for  the  settlement 
of  a  minister  in  s'd  society  the  sum  of  seventy 
pounds,  and  a  house,  and  his  wood,  and  bring  it  up, 
and  the  next  year  eighty  pounds,  and  raise  five 
pounds  a  year  till  it  comes  to  one  hundred  pounds  a 
year.  It  was  voted,  that  Edmond  Luis,  esquire, 
shall  decide  the  matter  as  to  seting  the  meeting 
hous,  it  was  voited  that  s'd  Mr.  Luis  should  come 
the  first  week  in  October  to  decide  the  matter  afore- 
s'd." 


minister  was  settled,  however,  until  1733  ;  the 
first  church  edifice  Avas  erected  early  in  1732.  It 
stood  a  few  yards  west  of  the  present  Methodist 
church,  and  nearly  in  the  centre  of  the  public  square 
or  common.*  A  photograph  or  rough  sketch  even, 
of  this  the  first  church  in  Redding,  would  be  inval- 
uable to  men  of  the  present  day :  we  are  certain, 
however,  that  it  was  a  much  more  elegant  and  fin- 
ished edifice  than  was  common  in  the  new  settle- 
ments. It  was  two  stories  high,  as  we  shall  see,  and 
of  quite  respectable  dimensions.  It  was  also  lathed 
and  plastered,  and  furnished  with  galleries,  and  win- 
dows of  imported  glass,  but  further  details  are  lack- 
ing. All  that  is  to  be  found  in  the  church  records 

*  The  corner-stone  of  the  old  church  may  still  be  seen  on  the  com- 
mon, a  little  south  of  a  line  drawn  from  Deacon  Abbott's  to  the  store 
lately  occupied  by  Mr.  Mandeville. 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  7? 

concerning  the  building  is  contained  in  the  follow- 
ing extracts  : 

•  November  12th,  1730. — It  was  voted  "  that  we  will 
build  a  meting-hous  in  said  society  for  the  worship  of 
God  in  the  Presbyterian  way.  Voted  that  the  me- 
ting-hous shall  be  thirty  feet  long,  twenty  eight  feet 
wide,  and  two  stories  high,  voted,  that  Lemuel  San- 
ford,  Thomas  Williams,  and  Daniel  Lion,  (be)  chosen 
committee  for  (building)  s'd  meting  hous." 

Feb.  23d,  1730-1.—"  You  that  are  of  the  minds 
that  all  those  persons  that  do,  or  hereafter  may  in- 
habit in  this  parish,  which  profess  themselfs  to  be 
of  the  Church  of  England,  shall  have  free  liberty  to 
come  into  this  meting  hous  that  is  now  in  building, 
and  attend  the  Publick  worship  of  God  there,  ac- 
cording to  the  articles  of  faith  agreed  upon  by  the 
assembly  of  Divines  at  Seabrook,  and  established  by 
the  laws  of  this  Government,  and  be  seated  in  s'd 
hous  according  to  their  estats." 

November  3d,  1732. — "  Stephen  Burr  hath  under- 
taken to  cart  stones  and  clay  for  the  underpinning 
the  meting  hous  for  1  Ib.  10s.  OOd.  Daniel  Lion  hath 
undertaken  to  underpin  the  meting  hous  and  tend 
himself  for  2  Ibs.  4s.  Od.  Daniel  Lion  hath  under- 
taken to  get  the  lath  and  lay  them  on  for  3  Ibs. 
()s.  Od.  Stephen  Burr  and  Theophilus  Hull  are 
chosen  committee  to  take  care  of  the  parsonage" 
(probably  to  secure  a  parsonage  for  the  expected 
preacher,  as  it  is  not  likely  that  one  was  then  built). 

It  was  as  yet,  however,  a  church  without  a  pastor. 
Mr.  Elisha  Kent  had  been  called  in  October,  1730, 
but  had  declined,. as  we  infer  from  the  silence  of  the 
records  on  the  subject.  A  Society  meeting  held 
May  8th,  1732,  extended  a  similar  call  to  the  Rev. 
Timothy  Mix,  and  deputed  Deacon  George  Hull  "  to 
go  to  the  association  at  Stanford  to  ask  advice  con- 


78  HISTORY  OF  REDDING 

ceming  the  settlement  of  Mr.  Mix  ;"  but  this  call, 
a,s  in  the  case  of  Mr.  Kent,  seems  to  have  been  de- 
clined. At  length  a  unanimous  call  was  made  to 
the  Rev.  Nathaniel  Hun,  as  follows  : 

Jan.  31,  1732-3. — "At  a  society  meeting  held  in 
the  parish  (of)  Reading,  George  Hull  chosen  Mode- 
rator for  s'd  meting,  Mr.  Nathaniel  Hunn  by  a  voit 
•nemine  contradicente  was  made  chois  of  for  the 
minister  of  s'd  parish,  furthermore  it  was  voited  at 
s'd  meting  to  settle  upon  the  s'd  Mr.  Humr  s  yearly 
sallery  as  followeth,  that  is,  for  the  first  year  of  his 
administration,  seventy  pounds  current  money  or 
bills  of  Public  Credit  in  ]N"ew  England,  the  second 
year,  seventy-five  pounds,  for  the  third  year,  eighty 
pounds,  for  the  fourth  year,  eighty  five  pounds,  the 
fifth  year  ninety  pounds,  the  sixth  year,  ninety  live 
pounds,  the  seventh  year,  a  hundred  pounds,  all  in 
currant  money  as  af  ores' d,  and  so  on  a  hundred 
pounds  a  year  during  the  term  of  his  continuance 
in  the  ministry  in  s'd  parish,  and  also  to  give 
the  s'd  Mr.  Hunn  the  whole  and  sole  priviledge 
of  all  the  parsonage  land  belonging  to  s'd  parish. 
and  to  provide  him  his  firewood,  during  the  term 
aboves'd,  also  to  find  him  a  convenient  dwelling 
hous  for  the  first  five  years,  also  to  give  the  s'd  Mr. 
Hunn,  a  hundred  acres  of  land  on  or  before  the  day 
of  his  ordination." 

Feb.  20th.  1732-3.—"  It  was  voited  that  the  ordina- 
tion of  Mr.  Hunn  shall  be  on  the  21st  day  of  March 
next,"  and  John  Read  and  George  Hull  were  cho- 
sen a  committee  "  to  represent  the  parish  concern- 
ing the  ordination  of  Mr.  Hunn."  From  this  point 
we  have  for  a  guide  the  church  records  in  the  hand- 
writing of  Mr.  Hunn,  its  settled  pastor.  It  is  called 
"  A  Book  of  Records  Wherein  is  an  account,  1st  of 
the  transactions  of  the  church,  2d  of  persons  ro 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  70 

ceived  to  communion,  3rd  of  persons  baptized,  4th 
of  marriages,  5th  of  deaths,  6th  of  persons  who  re- 
new the  covenant." 

The  Rev.  Sidney  G.  Law,  in  his  Centennial  Ser- 
mon, delivered  at  Redding,  July  6th,  1876,  thus 
speaks  of  Mr.  Hunn's  pastorate  : 

"  His  first  record  is  very  brief  for  so  important  a 
matter,  viz. :  '  March  21st,  1733,  I  was  separated  to  the 
work  of  the  ministry  by  prayer  and  fasting,  and  the 
laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  Presbytery.'  The 
next  record  gives  the  choice  of  deacons,  viz. :  l  At  a 
church  meeting  March  29,  1733,  we  made  choice  of 
Stephen  Burr  for  a  deacon,  and  some  time  after  we 
chose  Theo.  Hull  to  the  same  service.  .  .  . '  The 
next  records  relate  to  the  adoption  of  Tate  and 
Brady' s  version  of  the  Psalms,  first  for  one  month, 
and  then  for  the  indefinite  future.  The  first  mem- 
bers of  the  church  enumerated  by  Mr.  Hun  were  as 
follows  :  Col.  John  Read  and  wife,  Theophilus  Hull 
and  wife,  George  Hull  and  wife,  Peter  Burr  and 
wife,  Daniel  Lion  and  wife,  Daniel  Bradley  and 
wife,  Stephen  Burr  and  wife,  Ebenezer  Hull  and 
wife,  John  Griff  en,  Nathaniel  Sanford,  Thomas  Fair- 
child,  Lemuel  Sanford,  Benjamin  Lion  and  wife, 
Alary  wife  of  Richard  Lion,  Isaac  Hull,  Esther  wife 
of  Thomas  Williams,  Esther  wife  of  Benjamin  Ham- 
ilton. Thus  it  appears  that  the  church  was  organ- 
ized with  twenty-six  members,  including  the  two 
deacons,  about  the  time  that  Mr.  Hun  was  ordained, 
viz.,  the  21st  of  March,  1733.  Mr.  Hunn  married 
Ruth,  a  sister  of  Col.  Read,*  He  was  pastor  of  the 
church  sixteen  years.  During  this  time  he  received 


*  She  -was  a  daughter  of  the  Hon.  John  Read,  who  settled  at  Lonc- 
towu  in  1714.  Both  Mr.  Law  and  Mr.  Barber  are  in  error  in  suppos- 
ing that  the  original  John  Read  lived  and  died  in  Redding-.  He  re- 
moved to  Boston  in  1722,  and  his  son  John  succeeded  to  his  title,  and 
to  the  manor  at  Lone-town.  The  latter  is  the  one  mentioned  hi  these 
records. 


80  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

about  ninety-two  members  into  the  church,  the 
most  of  them  by  letter  of  recommendation  from 
neighboring  churches.  He  performed  thirty-live 
marriages  and  one  hundred  and  ninety-two  bap- 
tisms. He  died  while  on  a  journey,  and  was  buried 
in  Boston  in  1749.  His  widow,  Ruth  Hunn,  died 
in  1766,  and  was  buried  near  her  brother,  Col.  John 
Read,  in  the  cemetery  west  of  the  parsonage." 

Mr.  Hunn's  administration  seems  to  have  been  a 
happy  and  prosperous  one,  and  few  events  of  im- 
portance occurred  during  its  continuance.  The  rec- 
ords are  taken  up  with  cases  of  church  discipline, 
with  additions  to  his  salary,  providing  his  lirewood, 
and  with  repairs  to  the  meeting-house. 

In  1738  it  was  voted  "  to  finish  glassing  the  met- 
ing hous,  and  to  finish  seating  the  meting  hous  as  is 
begun,  and  do  something  to  the  pulpit."  In  1739, 
"  voted,  that  Sergt.  Joseph  Lee  shall  get  Mr.  Hun's 
wood,  and  have  seven  pounds  for  it."  "  Voted  that 
the  place  for  putting  up  warnings  for  society  meet- 
ings be  changed  from  Umpawaug  to  the  mill  door." 
In  1740,  uvoted  to  rectifie  the  meting  hous  in  the 
following  articles,  viz.  to  put  in  new  glass  where  it 
is  wanting,  and  to  mend  the  old.  To  lay  some 
beams  in  the  gallery  and  double  floor.  To  fasten 
the  meting  hous  doors  ;  to  make  stairs  up  the  gal- 
lery ;  to  put  a  rail  on  the  foreside  of  the  gallery," 
and  "  that  the  place  for  parish  meeting  shall  be  at 
the  school  house,  by  the  meting  hous  for  the 
future."  In  1741,  "voted,  to  seat  the  meting  hous 
in  the  lower  part  with  plain  strong  seats."  In 
1742,  "voted  to  iinpower  the  parish  committee  to 
agree  with  a  person  to  beat  the  drum  as  a  signal  to 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  81 

call  the  people  together  on  the  sabbath."  Again 
Feb.  15,  1743-4,  "  It  was  voted,  that  the  timber  and 
boards  provided  for  seating  the  meeting  honse,  shall 
be  improved  to  that  end  for  the  use  of  the  Parish." 
These  entries  though  unimportant  in  themselves  give 
us  pleasant  glimpses  of  the  healthy  and  active  life 
of  the  church.  Mr.  Hunn  died  in  the  summer  or 
fall  of  1749,  and  for  the  four  following  years  the 
church  was  without  a  pastor.  A  call  wras  extended 
to  Mr.  Solomon  Mead  in  March,  1751,  without  suc- 
cess, and  in  November  of  the  same  year  to  the  Rev. 
Tzrahiah  Wetmore,  with  a  like  result.  The  interim 
was  improved  by  the  people,  however,  in  building  a 
new  church,  which  stood  nearly  on  the  site  of  the 
present  edifice. 

The  first  action  in  this  important  matter  was  taken 
at  a  Society  meeting  held  Feb.  9,1748,  when  it  was 
put  to  vote  "  whether  it  be  necessary  to  build  a  new 
meting  hous  in  s'd  Parish,"  and  passed  in  the  af- 
firmative ;  whereupon  "  Left.  Joseph  Sanford"  was 
appointed  agent  for  the  Society  to  prefer  a  memo- 
rial to  the  next  General  Assembly,  "  to  affix  the 
p]ace  whereon  the  meeting  house  should  be  built." 
The  successive  stages  by  which  the  building  grew  to 
completion  are  defined  in  a  very  interesting  manner 
in  the  records."  Dec.  29th,  1799,  "  It  was  voted  that 
Beacon  Burr  and  others  be  a  committee  to  see  that 
there  is  timber  got,  and  sawmill  logs  for  a  meeting 
house  in  this  Parish,  s'd  timber  to  be  37  ft  in  width 
and  46  ft  in  length."  Jan.  17th,  1750,  the  County 
Court  in  session  at  Fairfield,  on  the  memorial  of 
Redding,  appointed  Thomas  Benedict,  Esq.,  and 
Capt.  Josiah  Starr,  of  Danbury,  and  Samuel 
7 


82  HISTORY  OF  RFJDDIKQ. 

Olmsted,  Esq.,  of  Bidgefield,  a  committee  to  affix 
the  place  whereon  the  meeting-house  should  be 
built ;  to  act  with  these,  the  Society  appointed  a 
committee  composed  of  John  Read,  Stephen  Burr, 
Joseph  Sanford  and  Ephraim  Jackson.  Jan.  29th, 
1751,  a  committee  was  appointed  "  to  agree  with 
some  persons  to  build  the  new  meting  hous."  It 
would  appear  that  ground  had  not  been  broken  for 
it  as  early  as  April  25th,  1751,  for  at  that  date  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  meet  the  County  Court's 
committee  "  to  find  a  place  for  the  meeting  house." 
It  was  probably  completed  and  ready  for  use 
early  in  the  summer  of  1752,  as  on  the  22d  of  June 
of  that  year  a  call  was  extended  to  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Tammage  to  be  their  preacher,  and  the  old  meet- 
ing house  was  sold  to  Jehu  Burr  for  £34.  The 
manner  in  which  this  meeting-house  was  "  seated" 
(which  did  not  occur  until  1763)  is  an  interesting 
commentary  on  the  manners  and  customs  of  the 
day,  and  has  the  further  merit  of  novelty,  it  being 
doubtful  if  another  record  can  be  found  in  JN"ew 
England  detailing  so  minutely  the  method  of  assign- 
ing pews  in  the  early  Puritan  churches.  We  copy 
from  the  records  of  a  Society  meeting  held  at, 
Widow  Sanford' s,  June  23d,  1763  : 

"  Put  to  vote  whether  the  meeting  house  of  s'd 
society  shall  be  seated  in  ye  form  following  viz.  a 
com'te  being  appointed  to  Dignify  ye  pews  and  other 
seats  in  s'd  Meeting  House  the  Respective  members 
of  s'd  society  shall  sit  in  s'd  pews  and  seats  accord- 
ing to  their  Rank  and  Degree  to  be  computed  by 
their  several  lists  and  age,  viz.  upon  ye  two  last 
years  lists,  and  to  allow  three  pound  per  year  to  be 
added  to  a  person's  List  for  his  advancement  in  a 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  83 

seat,  and  all  at  ye  discresion  of  s'  d  com'  te  who  shall 
be  appointed  to  Dignify  s'd  pews  and  seats,  and  to 
inspect  the  Respective  lists  and  ages  of  s'd  mem- 
bers." 

The  committee  appointed  was  Joseph  Sanford, 
Ebenezer  Couch,  and  Stephen  Burr  ;  but  Messrs.  San- 
ford and  Burr  declining  to  act,  Ephraim  Jackson 
and  Joseph  Banks  were  chosen  in  their  place." 
This  committee  was  unable  to  settle  the  question 
satisfactorily,  and  a  meeting  was  held  August  llth, 
1763,  at  which  the  following  action  was  taken  : 

"  It  was  put  to  vote  whether  the  Dignity  of  ye 
pews  and  seats  in  ye  meeting  house  should  be  in 
the  following  manner  viz.  ye  pew  adjoining  ye  pulpit 
stairs  first  in  Dignity  :  ye  Pew  adjoining  ye  grait 
doors,  west  side,  second  in  Dignity  :  the  fore  seat 
third  in  Dignity,  the  second  pew  west  of  ye  pulpit, 
fourth,  the  second  seat,  fifth  :  the  second  pew  north 
from  the  west  door,  sixth  :  the  fifth  pew  north  of  ye 
west  door  seventh  :  the  third  pew  north  of  the  west 
door,  eighth  :  the  second  pew  west  of  ye  grait  doors 
ninth  :  the  first  pew  south  of  ye  west  door,  tenth  : 
the  third  seat,  eleventh  :  the  second  pew  south  of 
the  west  door  twelfth  :  the  fourth  seat,  thirteenth 
the  front  seat  in  ye  gallery,  fourteenth  :  the  fore 
seat  on  ye  side  of  the  gallery,  fifteenth  :  the  pews 
and  seats  upon  ye  east  end  of  ye  meeting  house  of 
Equal  Dignity  with  those  upon  the  west  side  in  the 
same  manner  and  order  as  they  are  above  men- 
tioned. Passed  in  the  negative." 

Three  months  later  another  meeting  was  called, 
and  adopted  the  following  plan  : 

' '  The  respective  members  of  the  society  shall  sit 
in  ye  pews  and  seats  of  the  meeting  house  of  s'd 
Society  according  to  their  rank  or  degree,  to  be  com- 


84  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

puted  by  their  respective  lists  and  ages,  viz.  upon 
the  lists  given  in  upon  the  years  17ol  and  1761  and 
1762,  and  to  allow  three  pounds  per  year  to  be 
added  to  a  person's  list  for  his  advancement  in  a  seat 
or  pew  the  Respective  lists  and  ages  of  s'd  members 
are  to  be  inspected,  also  to  give  the  committee 
chosen  at  this  meeting  power  to  seat  those  that  are 
new  comers,  and  have  not  .  .  in  s'd  society,  to  seat 
them  at  s'd  committee's  discresion. 

"  Likewise  to  seat  ye  "Widows  in  s'd  Society  at  the 
best  of  ye  Committee's  judgment,  which  method  of 
seating  s'd  meeting  house  shall  continue  until  s'd 
Society  at  their  meeting  shall  order  otherwise. 

"  Also  voted  that  s'd  com'te  shall  seat  those  women 
whose  husbands  belong  to  the  Church  of  England  at 
their  discresion." 

The  Rev.  Nathaniel  Bartlett,  the  second  pastor  of 
the  church,  was  ordained  May  23d,  1753,  the  next 
year  after  the  church  was  built.  From  the  record 
in  his  own  handwriting,  we  learn  that  the  ministers 
who  assisted  at  his  ordination  were  as  follows  : 

"  The  Rev.  Mr.  "White  of  Danbury  made  the  first 
prayer.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Todd  of  East  Guilfoid 
preached  the  sermon.  Rev.  Mr.  Kent  made  the 
ordaining  prayer.  Rev.  Mr.  Mills  of  Ripston  gave 
the  charge,  Rev.  Mr.  Judson,  of  Newtown  gave  the 
right  hand  of  fellowship,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Ingersoll  of 
Ridgefield  made  the  concluding  prayer." 

Mr.  Bartlett  came  to  Redding  when  a  young  man 
fresh  from  his  collegiate  studies,  and  continued  pas- 
tor of  the  church  over  which  he  was  ordained  for 
fifty -seven  years — the  longest  pastorate,  it  is  said, 
known  to  the  New  England  churches.  He  is  de- 
scribed as  a  gentleman  of  the  o]d  school,  kind  and 
considerate,  of  an  equable  temper,  a  just  man,  a  fine 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  85 

scholar,  and  an  eloquent  preacher.  During  his  term 
of  service  the  crude  settlement  in  the  wilderness 
assumed  the  dignity  of  a  town.  The  church  grew 
from  infancy  to  manhood  and  the  country  passed 
•from  the  position  of  dependent  colonies  to  that  of 
free  and  sovereign  states.  In  the  War  of  Independ- 
ence Mr.  Bartlett's  sympathies  were  entirely  with 
the  patriot  cause  ;  two  of  his  sons  entered  the  army, 
munitions  of  war  were  stored  in  his  house,  and  he 
himself  frequently  officiated  as  chaplain  during  the 
encampment  of  Putnam's  division  in  the  town  in  the 
winter  of  1779.  Like  many  of  the  New  England 
clergymen  of  that  day,  he  was  the  teacher  of  such 
youths  in  his  charge  as  might  desire  a  liberal  educa- 
tion, and  among  the  many  whom  he  thus  fitted  for 
usefulness  was  the  celebrated  poet  and  statesman, 
Joel  Barlow.  Mr.  Bartlett  died  Jan.  11,  1810,  and 
was  buried  in  the  old  cemetery  west  of  the  church. 
The  simple  inscription  upon  his  tombstone  reads  as 
follows  : 

THE  REV.  NATHANIEL  BARTLETT. 
Died,  January  11,  1810,  aged  83  years. 

"I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life;  he  that  believeth  in  me, 
though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live." — JESUS  CHRIST. 

During  the  entire  period  of  Mr.  Bartlett's  ministry 
we  have  in  the  church  records  but  one  entry  of  im- 
portance, and  that  is  of  interest  as  marking  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Episcopal  Society  in  the  town. 
This  entry  is  as  follows  : 

"  To  Seth  S.  Smith  of  Redding,  in  Fail-field  Co. 
Greeting,  Whereas  by  law  the  Episcopal  Church  in 
said  Redding  is  become  a  distinct  society  whereby 


86  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

the  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  said  Red- 
ding have  become  the  first  society  in  said  town. 
These  are  therefore  by  authority  of  the  State  of  Con- 
necticut to  command  you  to  warn  and  give  notice  to 
all  the  members  of  said  lirst  society,  and  all  others 
who  by  law  are  obliged  to  contribute  toward  the 
support,  and  the  worship,  and  the  ministry  with  the 
same,  to  meet  at  the  meeting  house  in  said  Redding 
on  Monday  the  20th  of  December  at  12  in  order  to 
choose  a  moderator  and  necessary  officers. 

"  REDDING,  December  14,  1785." 

The  Rev.  Jonathan  Bartlett,  third  minister  of  the 
church,  was  ordained  as  colleague  with  his  father, 
Rev.  Nathaniel  Bartlett,  in  1796.  The  first  of  the 
church  records  in  his  handwriting  is  as  follows  : 

"  Feb.  3,  1796.  I  was  separated  to  the  work  of  the 
ministry  and  ordained  as  colleague  with  my  father 
Nathaniel  Bartlett  over  the  Congregational  church 
in  Redding  in  Gospel  order  and  form.  The  minis- 
ters who  performed  the  work  were  as  follows  viz. 
the  Rev.  Israhiel  Wetmore  chosen  Moderator,  Rob- 
ert Ross  made  the  ordaining  prayer,  Elisha  Rexford 
made  the  introductory  prayer,  David  Ely  preached 
the  sermon.  Imposition  of  hands  by  N.  Bartlett, 
R.  Ross  and  Rexford.  John  Ely  gave  the  right 
hand  of  fellowship,  Samuel  AV.  Stebbins  made  the 
concluding  grayer. ' ' 

Of  the  life  and  ministry  of  this  most  excellent 
man,  one  who  knewr  him  intimately,  the  Rev.  Thomas 
P.  Davies,  thus  wrote  : 

"  In  February,  1796,  Mr.  Bartlett  was  ordained 
colleague  with  his  father,  and  after  a  faithful  minis- 
try of  thirteen  years,  greatly  esteemed  and  beloved 
by  his  people,  was  dismissed  on  account  of  ill-health, 
and  by  his  own  request.  His  heart  was  gladdened 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  87 

near  the  close  of  his  pastoral  life  by  a  powerful  and 
general  revival  of  religion  among  the  people  of  his 
charge.  After  his  dismission,  and  when  his  health 
had  been  in  a  degree  restored,  he  preached  from 
time  to  time  to  destitute  congregations  in  the  vicin- 
ity, and  at  different  periods,  as  occasion  required,  to 
the  church  of  which  he  had  been  pastor,  with  great 
acceptation  and  usefulness.  As  a  preacher  he  was 
eminently  distinguished,  for  he  was  a  man  '  mighty 
in  the  Scriptures.'  Large  portions  of  the  Word  of 
God,  entire  epistles  even,  dwelling  in  his  memory, 
and  when  an  impaired  vision  rendered  the  perusal  of 
a  book  difficult  or  painful,  he  reviewed  in  his  own 
mind,  and  often  rehearsed  to  others,  portions  of  the 
Scriptures  with  comments  which  rendered  his  society 
delightful  and  instructive.  He  was  a  man  of  native 
eloquence,  and  great  skill  in  the  examination  and 
exhibition  of  the  subjects  which  came  before  him. 
He  was  a  scribe,  '  well  instructed  in  the  things  of 
the  kingdom,  a  workman  that  needed  not  to  be 
ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word  of  truth. ? 
While  aiding  other  societies,  he  was  eminently  a  ben- 
efactor to  the  church  and  society  of  which  he  had 
been  a  pastor,  for  in  addition  to  the  ministerial  ser- 
vices gratuitously  rendered,  he  gave  in  money  in  his 
various  benefactions  more  to  the  society  than  the 
entire  amount  received  from  it  during  the  whole 
period  of  his  ministry,  and  has  also  left  it  a  legacy 
of  three  thousand  dollars.  Useful,  honored,  and  be- 
loved he  lived  in  his  native  town,  inhabiting  for 
nearly  a  century  the  same  residence,  for  he  was  born 
in  the  house  in  which  he  died.  With  a  calm  and 
humble  trust  in  God,  in  the  entire  possession  of  his 
mental  powers,  and  with  little  apparent  suffering, 
he  fell  asleep  in  Jesus." 

Rev.  Daniel  Crocker,  of  Bedford,  IN".  Y..  was 
called  in  August,  1809,  as  colleague  with  .Rev.  Na- 
thaniel Bartlett.  He  was  a  good  man  and  a  success- 
ful pastor,  and  served  the  church  fifteen  years,  being 


88  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

dismissed  in  1824.  The  Rev.  Charles  De  Witt  Tap- 
pen  was  called,  but  not  settled.  The  next  pastor 
chosen  was  Mr.  William  C.  Kniffen  in  1825.  He 
was  dismissed  in  1828.  The  Rev.  Burr  Baldwin 
was  next  called,  but  not  settled.  The  next  pastor 
was  the  Rev.  AA'illiam  L.  Strong,  formerly  pastor  at 
Somers,  Tolland  Co.,  Conn.  He  was  installed  June 
23d,  1830,  and  dismissed  Feb.  26th,  1835.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1835,  following  Mr.  Strong's  dismissal,  a  sub- 
scription was  commenced  for  the  erection  of  the  pres- 
ent church  edifice,  which  was  built  in  1836.  The 
expense  was  not  to  exceed  $2500  with  the  old  meet- 
ing-house. In  December  of  the  same  year  a  unani- 
mous call  was  extended  to  the  Rev.  David  C.  Corn- 
stock,  but  was  not  accepted  at  that  time.  In  March, 
1837,  Rev.  Daniel  E.  Manton  was  called,  but  not  set- 
tled. In  June  of  the  same  year  the  Rev.  Jeremiah 
Miller  was  called,  and  was  installed  July  12th,  1837. 
Mr.  Miller  was  dismissed  in  1839.  In  the  following- 
year,  1840,  Mr.  David  C.  Comstock  was  ordained 
and  installed  pastor  of  the  church.  He  was  dis- 
missed in  1845.  After  him  Daniel  D.  Frost,  after 
preaching  as  stated  supply  for  eighteen  months,  was 
ordained  December  30th,  1845.  He  continued  pas- 
tor ten  years,  being  dismissed  October  13th,  1856.  In 
1857  the  pulpit  was  supplied  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Root. 
In  1858  the  Rev.  Enoch  S.  Huntington  supplied  the 
pulpit  one  year.  He  presented  the  communion  ser- 
vice to  the  church,  for  which  he  received  its  thanks. 
In  1859  the  church  was  remodelled  and  painted,  re- 
ceiving the  beautiful  fresco  which  still  adorns  it.  In 
1860  Rev.  AY.  D.  Herrick  became  pastor,  and  so  con- 
tinued until  1864.  After  him  Rev.  E.  B.  Hunting- 
ton,  and  also  Rev.  Mr.  Barnum,  preached  for  a  short 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 


SO 


time.  Rev.  S.  F.  Farmer  supplied  in  1865.  Rev. 
K.  B.  Glidden  was  installed  September  12th,  1866  ; 
resigned  December,  1868.  In  1869  tlie  Rev.  Charles 
Chamberlain  became  acting  pastor.  He  resigned  in 
September,  1871. 

Rev.  Sidney  G.  Law,  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for 
the  above  summary  of  the  later  history  of  the  church, 
became  acting-  pastor  June  1st,  1872,  and  after  a 
prosperous  ministry  of  six  years  resigned  in  1878. 

Rev.  W.  J.  Jennings,  the  present  pastor,  was  in- 
stalled December  17th,  1879.  Some  statistics  of  this 
ancient  church  ready  gathered  to  my  hand  will 
prove  interesting  and  valuable.  The  complete  list 
of  those  who  have  served  it  as  pastors,  with  the  date 
of  their  ordination  and  dismissal,  is  as  follows  : 


MINISTERS. 


SETTLED. 


DISMISSED. 


DIED. 


Nathaniel  Hunn Mar.  21,  1733 1749. 

Nathaniel  Bartlett. . .  May  23,  1753 Jan.   11,   1810. 

Jonathan  Bartlett !Feb.  3, 1796. . . June  7,  1809.. .  Mar.  22,  1858 

Duniel  Crocker !Oct.  4,  1809  . . .  Oct.  24,  1824. 

William  C.  Kuiffen.  .JJune  8,  1825. .  .iD.-c.  17,  1828.  J 
William  L.  Strong. ..  'June  23,  1830..  i  Feb.  26,  1885..  I 

Jeremiah  Miller July  12,  1837.  JJuly  23,  1839..! 

David  C.  Comstock. .  .Mar.  4,  1840. . .  April  8,  1845. 

Daniel  D.  Frost Dec.  30,  1846. .  Oct.  15,  1856. . 

Enoch  S.  Hnntington.  1858 U859 

W.  D.  Herrick 1860 1864 

K.  B.  Glidden Sept.  12,  1866..  Dec.,  1868. . 

Charles  Chamberlain.  1869 Sept.,  1871. 

Sidney  G.  Law June  1,  1872.. .  June  1,  187! 

DEACONS.        APPOINTED.       DEACONS.        APPOINTED. 

Stephen  Burr 1733    Lemuel  San  lord 1808 

Theophllus  Hull 1733    Aaron  Read 1808 

Lemuel  Sanford 1740    Joel  Foster 1820 

Daniel  Mallory 1740    Lemuel  Hawley 1832 

Joseph  Banks' 1776    Samuel  Read 1832 

Simon  Couch 1776    Charles  D.  Smith 1854 

Lemuel  Sanford 1785    Rufus  Meade 1854 

Stephen  Betts 1785  [  Thaddeus  M.  Abbott. 1854 


90 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING 


REVIVALS. 


YEAR. 

CON  VERSIONS. 

YEAR. 

CONVERSIONS- 

1808-9  

75 

1838  

30 

1823     

40 

1852  

24 

1829 

8 

1855 

.  12 

1831       .... 

...            ...  20 

The  present  membership  of  the  church  is   119. 
Males,  40  ;  females,  79. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

('  II  R  I  8  T    C  II  U  R  C  II  . 

1752-1879. 

BY    REV.     AI,ANSON    WELTON. 

THE  present  town  of  Redding  is  one  of  the  few 
places  in  the  old  Colony  of  Connecticut  where  the 
Episcopal  ministry  is  entitled  to  the  distinction  of 
having  been  first  on  the  ground,  laying  foundations, 
and  not  building  upon  those  already  laid.  The 
Church  of  England  \vas  not  planted  in  New  England 
without  strenuous  and  bitter  opposition  from  the 
Puritans,  who  were  first  in  the  field.  By  old  Eng- 
lish law,  indeed,  that  church  was  established  in  all 
the  plantations  ;  yet  it  is  manifest  from  the  records 
of  the  colonial  legislation  of  the  charter  government 
of  Connecticut,  that  previously  to  1727,  the  church 
of  which  the  king  was  a  member  was  not  recognized 
as  having  a  right  to  exist.  Congregationalism  was 
the  established  religion.  "  in  opposition  to  which 
there  could  be  no  ministry  or  church  administration 
entertained  or  attended  by  the  inhabitants  of  any 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  91 

town  or  plantation,  upon  penalty  of  fifty  pounds 
for  every  breach,  of  this  act ;"  and  every  person  in 
the  colony  was  obliged  to  pay  taxes  for  the  support 
of  this  establishment. 

In  this  uncongenial  soil  the  Anglican  Church  of 
Connecticut  was  planted— strange    to  say.  not  by 
foreign-born  missionaries,  but  by  seceders  from  the 
ministry  of  the  Congregationalists.     The  pioneers  in 
this  movement  were  Timothy  Cutler,  Rector  of  Yale 
College,  Daniel  Brown,  Tutor ;  James  Wetmore,  of 
Xorth  Haven  ;  and  Samuel  Johnson,  of  West  Haven, 
a  former  tutor  in  the  college.     These  gentlemen,  after 
a  professedly  careful  and  prayerful  examination  of 
the  subject  of  church  order,  discipline,  and  worship, 
which  resulted  in  a  conviction  that  the  English  Church 
followed  most  closely  the  teaching  of  the  Scriptures 
and  the  practice  of  the  church  of  the  first  ages,  sent 
to  the  trustees  of  the  college  a  formal  statement  of 
their  views,  and  declared  for  Episcopacy — to  the  no 
small  surprise  and  consternation  of  their  colleagues 
in  the  college  and  church.     The  four  went  to  Eng- 
land  for  Episcopal  ordination,  where  Brown  died. 
The  three  survivors  returned  in  1722,  as  missionaries 
of  the  "  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel 
in  Foreign  Parts,"  Johnson  only  being  sent  to  Con- 
necticut.    The  ante-Revolutionary  history    of  the 
church  at  Redding  Ridge  is  mostly  to  be  found  in 
the  archives  of  this  Society,   as  published  in  the 
"  Documentary  History  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  in  Connecticut,"  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Beards- 
ley's  "  History  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Connec- 
ticut"— from  which  sources,  mainly,  this  sketch  has 
been  compiled. 


92  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

A  letter  was  addressed  to  the  secretary  of  the 
S.  P.  G.,  dated  October  19th,  1722,  signed  by  John 
Glover  and  twelve  other  heads  of  families  in  Xew- 
town,  Thomas  Wheeler,  of  Woodbury,  and  Moses 
Knapp,  of  Chestnut  Ridge,  thanking  the  Society  for 
the  services  of  the  Rev.  George  Pigot,  missionary  at 
Stratford,  and  earnestly  soliciting  the  appointment 
of  a  missionary  for  themselves  at  Newtown. 

The  next  year,  1723,  Mr.  Pigot  was  transferred  to 
Newport,  R.  I.,  and  the  Rev.  Samuel  Johnson,  his 
successor  at  Stratford,  "  accepted  all  his  missionary 
duties  in  Connecticut." 

In  1727,  the  Rev.  Henry  Caner  [pronounce  Canner] 
was  sent  to  Fairfield,  of  which  town  Chestnut  Ridge 
was  a  part.  After  having  named  in  his  report  the 
several  villages  or  hamlets  in  the  vicinity  of  his  sta- 
tion, he  says  :  "  Besides  these,  there  is  a  village 
northward  from  Fairfield  about  eighteen  miles,  con- 
taining near  twenty  families,  where  there  is  no  min- 
ister at  all,  of  any  denomination  whatsoever ;  the 
name  of  it  is  Chestnut  Ridge,  and  where  I  usually 
preach  or  lecture  once  in  three  weeks."  In  1728  he 
says  there  are  four  villages  "  about  Fairfield,— Green 
Farms,  Greenfield,  Poquannuck  and  Chestnut  Ridge, 
three  of  them  about  four  miles  distant,  the  last 
about  sixteen.  The  same  year,  the  name  of  Moses 
Knapp  appears  as  a  vestryman  of  the  church  at 
Fairfield. 

In  1729,  "  Moses  Knap,  Nathan  Lion,  and  Daniel 
Crofoot"  objected,  in  a  meeting  of  the  [Presbyteri- 
an] "  Society  of  Redding"  ''against"  the  "  hiering" 
any  other  than  a  minister  of  the  Church  of  England. 
These  three  names  appear  again  in  the  list  of  .Mr. 


HISTORY  OF  KEDDING.  93 

Beach's  parishioners  in  1738.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Bur- 
hams  [Churchman's  Magazine,  1823]  says:  "The 
first  Churchman  in  Reading  was  a  Mr.  Richard  Lyon, 
from  Ireland,  who  died  as  early  as  1735. ' '  He  also  says 
on  the  authority  of  "an  aged  member  of  the  Church 
in  Reading,"  that  "Messrs.  [Richard?]  Lyon, 
[Stephen]  Morehouse,  [Moses]  Knapp,  [Joshua] 
Hal],  [William]  Hill,  [Daniel]  Crofoot,  and  [Lieut. 
Samuel]  Fairchild,  appear  to  have  composed  the 
first  Church  in  Reading."  Nathan  Lyon  died  in 
!  ?.">?,  in  the  fifty-fourth  year  of  his  age.  Mr.  Caner 
reported  in  1728  seven  families  at  Chestnut  Ridge  ; 
the  number  reminding  us  of  the  "House  of  Wis- 
dom" with  its  "  Seven  Pillars,"  as  the  first  Puritan 
( organization  at  New  Haven  was  named. 

Mr.  Caner  was  succeeded  at  Chestnut  Ridge,  in 
1732,  by  the  Rev.  John  Beach,  a  pupil  of  Johnson  in 
Yale  College,  and  afterward  Presbyterian  minister 
at  Xewtown  for  several  years.  As  Mr.  Beach  was  a 
resident  of  East  Redding  for  about  twenty  years,  and 
pastor  of  this  church  full  half  a  century,  his  history 
is  substantially  that  of  the  parish,  or  mission,  over 
which  he  presided.  His  pastorate  was  the  longest 
of  all  the  ante-Revolutionary  clergy.  He  was  born 
in  Stratford,  October  6th,  1700  ;  graduated  from  Yale 
at  the  age  of  twenty -one,  and  licensed  to  preach 
soon  afterwards.  He  is  said  to  have  been  selected  for 
the  Presbyterian  pastorate  atNewtown  as  a  "  popu- 
lar and  insinuating  young  man,"  well  fitted  to  check 
the  growth  of  Episcopacy,  which  was  there  thriving 
under  the  ministry  of  Caner  and  Johnson.  Many 
Churchmen  must  have  "  joined  in  settling  him  with 
Presbyterian  ordination,"  for  in  1722  they  claimed 


94:  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

to  be  a  majority  of  the  population,  whereas,  for  some- 
time after  his  "  settlement,"  Mr.  Johnson  ministered 
to    only  about  five  families.     "  From  these  visits 
.  .  .  frequent  and  earnest  discussions  resulted  be- 
tween the  two  teachers,  the  influence  of  which  was 
soon  evident  to  Mr.  Beach's   congregation.     After 
two  or  three  years  of  patient  study  and  meditation  he 
alarmed  his  congregation  by  his  frequent  use  of  the 
Lord's   Prayer ;   and  still  more  by  reading  whole 
chapters  from  the  Word  of  God.     Next  he  ventured 
to  condemn  a  custom,  common  in  their  meetings,  of 
rising  and  bowing  to  the  minister,  as  he  came  in 
among  them,  and  instead  of  which  he  begged  them 
to  kneel  down  and  worship  God.     At  length   [in 
January,  1731],  "  after  he  had  been  a  preacher  more 
than  eight  years,  he  told  them  from  the  pulpit  that, 
'  From  a  serious  and  prayerful  examination  of  the 
Scriptures,  and  of  the  records  of  the  early  ages  of 
the  Church,  and  from  the  universal  acknowledgment 
of  Episcopal  government  for  fifteen  hundred  years, 
compared  with  the  recent  establishment  of  Presby- 
terian and  Congregational  discipline/  he  was  fully 
persuaded  of  the  invalidity  of  his  ordination,  and  of 
the  unscriptural  method  of  organizing  and  governing 
congregations  as  by  them  practised.     He  therefore, 
'  In  the  face  of  Almighty  God,'  had  made  up  his 
mind  to  '  conform  to  the  Church  of  England,  as  be- 
ing Apostolical  in  her  ministry  and  discipline,  ortho- 
dox in  her  doctrine,  and  primitive  in  her  worship.1 
He  affectionately  exhorted  them  to  weigh  the  sub 
ject  well ;  engaged  to  provide  for  the  due  adminis- 
tration of  the  sacraments  while  absent  from  them, 
and  spoke  of  his  intended  return  from  England  in 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  95 

holy  orders.  So  greatly  was  he  beloved,  that  a 
large  proportion  of  his  people  seemed  ready  to 
acquiesce  in  his  determination."  But  the  others,  in 
evident  alarm  and  consternation  at  this  "  threatened 
defection  from  their  ranks,"  held  a  town  meeting 
' '  to  consult "  as  to  "  what  was  possible  to  be  done 
with  the  Rev.  Mr.  John  Beach,  under  present  diffi- 
culties ;"  "  voted  to  have  a  [day  of]  solemn  fasting 
and  prayer ;  ...  to  call  in  the  Ecclesiastical 
Council  of  Fairfield  to  direct  and  do  what  they  shall 
think  proper,  under  the  .  .  .  difficult  circum- 
stances respecting  the  Rev.  Mr.  Beach,  and  the  in- 
habitants of  the  town  of  Newtown — also  that  the 
first  Wednesday  of  February  [1732]  be  appointed  for 
the  fast." 

The  council  met,  and  in  spite  of  Mr.  Beach's  re- 
monstrances proceeded  to  depose  him  from  the  min- 
istry. "From  this  resulted  a  printed  discussion" 
between  him  and  his  deposers,  which  ultimately 
helped  rather  than  hindered  the  Church  of  England. 

Mr.  Beach  returned  from  England  in  Episcopal 
orders,  and  took  charge  of  the  Newtown  and  Red- 
ding mission  in  the  autumn  of  1732.  From  this  pe- 
riod his  history  and  that  of  his  mission  may  be  more 
accurately  told  in  the  language  of  his  own  letters  to 
the  Secretary  of  the  S.  P.  G. 

"  NEWTOWN  IN  CONNECTICUT,  August  7th,  1735. 

k'  REVEREND  SIR,  I  think  it  my  duty  to  acquaint 
the  venerable  Society  with  the  present  state  of  my 
parish,  although  the  alteration  since  my  last  has  not 
been  very  considerable.  I  have  baptized  twenty- 
nine  children  and  admitted  twenty-live  persons  more 
to  the  communion,  so  that  the  number  .  .  . 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

now  at  Newtown,  Reading,  and  the  places  adjacent, 
is  ninety-five.  I  preach  frequently  and  administer 
the  Sacrament  at  Rldgefield  .  .  .  about  eight- 
een miles  distant  .  .  .  where  there  are  about 
fourteen  or  eighteen  families  of  very  serious  and 
religious  people  who  have  a  just  esteem  of  the 
Church  of  England,  and  are  very  desirous  to 
have  the  opportunity  of  worshipping  God  in  that 
way.  I  have  constantly  preached,  one  Sunday  at 
Newtown ;  and  the  other  at  Reading ;  and  after  I 
have  preached  at  Reading  in  the  day-time,  I  ... 
preach  at  Newtown  in  the  evening  :  and  although  I 
have  not  that  success  I  could  wish  for,  yet  I  do.  and 
hope  I  always  shall,  faithfully  endeavour  (as  far  as 
my  poor  ability  will  allow,)  to  promote  that  good 
work,  that  the  venerable  Society  sent  and  main- 
tained for  me.  I  am,  Rev.  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 
"  JOHN  BEACH."" 

As  a  specimen  of  his  manner  of  defending  himself 
against  personal  attacks  we  have  the  following  from 
a  controversial  pamphlet,  in  reply  to  John  Dickin- 
son, of  New  Jersey,  in  1736  : 

"  I  have  evened  the  scale  of  my  judgement  as  much 
as  possibly  I  could,  and  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge, 
I  have  not  allowed  one  grain  of  worldly  motive  on 
either  side.  I  have  supposed  myself  on  the  brink 
of  eternity,  just  going  into  the  other  world,  to  give 
up  my  acccount  to  my  great  Judge  ;  and  must  I  be 
branded  for  an  antichrist  or  heretic,  or  apostate,  be- 
cause my  judgement  determines  that  the  Church  of 
England  is  most  agreeable  to  the  AYord  of  God  ?  I 
can  speak  in  the  presence  of  God,  who  knows  my 
heart  better  than  you  do,  that  I  would  willingly  turn 
Dissenter  again,  if  you,  or  any  man  living  will  show 
me  reason  for  it.  But  it  must  be  reason  (whereby  I 
exclude  not  the  Word  of  God,  which  is  the  highest 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  97 

reason.)  and  not  sophistry  and  calumny,  as  you  have 
hitherto  used,  that  will  convince  a  lover  of  truth  and 
right." 

In  1739  he  says:    "I  have    one    hundred    and 
twenty-three  communicants,  but  they  live  so  far  dis- 
tant from  each  other,  that  commonly  I  can  adminis- 
ter to  no  more  than  about  fifty  at  once,  which  occa- 
sions my  administering  it  the  more  frequently  ;  and, 
though  I  meet  with  many  discouragements,  yet  I 
have  this    satisfaction,   that  all  my  communicants 
(one  or  two  excepted)  do  adorn  their  profession  by  a 
sober,  righteous  and  godly  life."     In   1743,  some 
three  years  after  Whiteiield  began  his  famous  "re- 
vival of  Puritanism,"  Mr.  Beach  says  :  "  My  people 
are  not  at  all  shaken,  but  rather  confirmed  in  their 
principles  by  the  spirit  of  enthusiasm  that  rages 
among  the  Independents  roundabout  us  ;  and  many 
of  the  Dissenters,  observing  how  steadfast  our  peo- 
ple are    .     .     .     while  those  of  their  own  denomi- 
nation are  easily  carried  away  with  every  kind  of 
doctrine,  have  conceived  a  much  better  opinion  of 
our  Church  than  they  formerly  had,  and  a  considera- 
ble number  in  this  colony  have  lately  conformed,  and 
several  Churches  are  now  building  where  they  have 
no  minister.     .     .     .     Were  there  in  this  country 
but  one  of  the  Episcopal  order,  to  whom  young  men 
might  apply  for  ordination,  without  the  expense  and 
danger  of  a  voyage  to  England,  many  of  our  towns 
might  be  supplied  which  must  now  remain  desti- 
tute."    (This  letter  is  dated  at  "  Reading,  in  New 
England,"  as  all  his  published  reports  are,  between 
1740  and  1760.)     "  My   people   are  poor,  (he  con- 
tinues) and  have  but  few  negro  slaves,  but  all  they 


08  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

have,  I  have,  after  instruction,  baptized,  and  some 
of  them  are  communicants/'  In  October  of  the 
same  year  he  says  :  "  I  beg  the  venerable  Society's 
direction  in  an  affair  I  am  just  now  perplexed  with. 
There  are  about  twenty  families  ...  at  Xew- 
Milford  and  New-Fairfield,  which  are  about  fifteen 
miles  hence.  I  preach  to  them  several  times  a  year, 
but  seldom  on  the  Lord's  day.  They  frequently 
corne  to  Church  at  ISewtown  ;  but  by  reason  of  the 
distance,  they  can't  attend  constantly,  and  their 
families  very  seldom,  and.  when  they  can't  come  to 
Church,  they  meet  together  in  their  own  town,  and 
one  of  their  number  reads  some  part  of  the  common 
pniyer  and  a  sermon.  They  are  now  building  a 
Church.  .  .  .  But  the  Independents,  to  suppress 
the  design  in  its  infancy,  .  .  .  have  lately  prose- 
cuted and  fined  them  for  their  meeting  to  worship 
God  according  to  the  common  prayer.  .  .  .  The 
case  of  these  poor  people  is  very  hard  ;  if,  on  the 
Lord's  day,  they  continue  at  home,  they  must  be 
punished  ;  if  they  meet  to  worship  God  according  to 
the  Church  of  England  in  the  best  manner  they  can, 
the  mulct  is  much  greater  ;  and  if  they  go  to  the 
Independent  meeting  .  .  .  they  must  endure 
the  mortification  of  hearing  the  Church  vilified." 

After  the  death  of  the  Rev.  Joshua  Honeyman 
missionary  at  Newport  R.  I.  in  1750,  the  church  of 
which  he  had  the  care,  petitioned  the  Society  that 
Mr.  Beach  might  be  sent  to  them,  as  their  minister. 
The  petition  was  granted,  but  Mr.  Beach  felt  con- 
strained, on  account  of  feeble  health  to  decline  the 
appointment ;  fearing,  as  he  said,  that  "  the  people 
might  complain  that  a  woriiout  man  was  imposed 
upon  them.'' 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  09 

The  first  church  on  Redding  Ridge,  which  was 
built  in  1733,  and  was  quite  small,  was  in  1750  re- 
placed by  another  on  the  same  site,  fifty  feet  long 
and  thirty-six  wide,  surmounted  by  a  turret,  which, 
in  1797,  was  replaced  by  a  steeple  in  which  was 
placed  the  first  bell.  This  church,  according  to  the 
style  of  the  period,  was  furnished  with  square,  high- 
backed  pews,  with  seats  on  their  four  sides  ;  so  that 
some  of  their  occupants  had  to  sit  with  their  backs 
to  the  minister.  And  though  others  doubtless  be- 
sides Bishop  Jarvis  "  could  see  no  necessary  con- 
nection between  piety  and  freezing,"  there  was  no 
heating  apparatus  in  the  ch  arches  until  considerably 
past  the  beginning  of  the  present  century.  "  Trinity 
Church,  New  Haven,  had  no  means  of  being  warmed 
until  1822,  and  none  of  the  rural  churches  were  sup- 
plied with  stoves  until  a  much  later  period."  Many 
persons  in  the  rural  districts  were  in  the  habit  of 
walking  several  miles,  barefooted,  to  church  in  sum- 
mer, and  probably  did  not  feel  the  lack  of  shoes  a 
great  privation.  So  common  was  it  for  men  to  go  to 
church  without  their  coats,  that  the  first  time  Bishop 
Seabury  preached  in  New  Haven,  a  dissenting  hearer 
reported  that  "he  preached  in  his  shirt-sleeves." 
Often  the  family  was  mounted,  the  parents  with  a 
child  in  arms  to  be  christened,  upon  one  horse,  and 
the  older  children  upon  another.  Sometimes  the 
whole  family  were  clustered  together  upon  the  ox- 
cart or  sled,  and  thus  they  went  up  to  the  house  of 
God. 

In  1759,  three  years  after  the  breaking  out  of  the 
"Old  French  War,"  Mr.  Beach,  writing  from 
"  Reading,  Connecticut,  in  N.  England,"  says : 


100  U1STORT  OF  REDDING. 

"  My  parish  is  in  a  flourishing  condition,  in  all  re- 
spects, excepting  that  we  have  lost  some  of  our 
young  men  in  the  army  ;  more,  indeed  by  sickness 
than  by  the  sword,  for  this  countrymen  do  not 
bear  a  campaign  so  well  as  Europeans." 

Dr.  Johnson's  playful  remark  to  his  son  that, 
"  Mr.  Beach  had  always  these  seeming  inconsisten- 
cies, to  be  always  dying,  and  yet  relishing  mundane 
things,"  would  seein  to  indicate  that  his  friend  was 
not  really  so  near  death' s-door  as  he  often  imagined 
himself  :  for  example,  in  1761,  when  he  says  :  "  My 
painful  and  weak  state  of  body  admonishes  me  that, 
although  this  may  not  be  the  last  time  of  my  writ- 
ing, yet  the  last  cannot  be  far  off  ;"  and  he  had  sup- 
posed himself  a  "  worn  out  man"  several  years  be- 
fore. 

Writing  from  "New-Town  Oct.  3,  1764,"  he  re- 
ports :  "  My  congregation  at  Reading  has  increased 
very  little  for  some  years  past,  by  reason  that  many 
who  were  wont  to  attend  there,  though  living  at  a 
distance  of  6,  8,  or  10  miles,  have  lately  built  [each] 
a  small  church  near  them,  where  they  can  more 
conveniently  meet ;  viz.,  at  Danbury,  Ridgbury, 
North  Fairfield  and  North  Stratford  ;  which  has 
very  much  retarded  the  growth  of  the  congregation 
at  Reading  :  which  .  .  .  now  consists  of  about 
300  hearers  at  one  time."  Under  date  of  April, 
1765,  he  says  :  "  I  am  now  engaged  in  a  controversy 
with  some  of  the  Independent  Ministers  about  those 
absurd  doctrines,  the  sum  of  which  is  contained  in  a 
thesis  published  by  New  Haven  College  last  Sep- 
tember. .  .  .  They  expressly  deny  that  there  is 
any  law  of  Grace,  which  promises  eternal  life  upon 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  101 

the  condition  of  faith,  repentance  and  sincere  obe- 
dience ;  and  assert  justification  only  by  the  law  of 
innocence  and  sinless  obedience.  Though  my  health 
is  small,  and  my  abilities  less,  I  make  it  a  rule  never 
to  enter  into  any  dispute  with  them  unless  they 
begin,  yet  now  they  have  made  the  assault,  and  ad- 
vocate such  monstrous  errors  as  do  subvert  the  Gos- 
pel, I  think  myself  obliged  by  my  ordination  vow, 
to  guard  the  people  as  well  as  I  can  against  such 
strange  doctrines." 

Again  he  writes  in  October  of  the  same  year,  after 
the  publication  of  that  precursor  of  Revolution,  the 
memorable  "  Stamp  Act,"  of  1765  :  "  My  parishes 
continue  much  in  the  same  condition  as  in  my  last. 
I  have  of  late,  taken  pains  to  warn  my  people  against 
having  any  concern  with  seditious  tumults  with  re- 
lation to  the  stamp  duty  enjoined  upon  us  by  the 
Legislature  at  home  :  and  I  can  with  truth  and  pleas- 
ure say,  that  I  cannot  discover  the  least  inclination 
towards  rebellious  conduct  in  an}'  of  the  Church 
people."  A  year  later  he  says:  '"For  some  time 
past,  I  have  not  been  without  fear  of  being  abused 
by  a  lawless  set  of  men  who  style  themselves  the 
Sons  of  Liberty,  for  no  other  reason  than  that  of  en- 
deavoring to  cherish  in  my  people  a  quiet  submis- 
sion to  the  civil  government.  .  .  .  It  is  very  re- 
markable, that  in  part  of  this  Colony,  in  which 
many  missions  and  Church  people  abound,  there  the 
people  are  vastly  more  peaceable  and  ready  to  ren- 
der obedience  to  the  Government  of  England  ;  but 
where  there  is  no  mission  and  few  or  no  Church  peo- 
ple, they  are  continually  caballing,  and  will  spill 
the  last  drop  of  blood,  rather  than  submit  to  the 


102  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

late  Act  of  Parliament."  In  1767  he  says  :  "  It  is 
some  satisfaction  to  me  to  observe,  that  in  this  town 
[Newtown],  of  late,  in  our  elections,  the  Church 
people  make  the  major  vote,  which  is  the  first  in- 
stance of  this  kind  in  this  Colony,  if  not  in  all  New 
England."  Again  in  1769:  "There  are  in  these 
two  parishes  about  2400  souls,  of  whom,  a  little 
more  than  half  profess  the  Church  of  England. 
Here  are  about  fifty  negroes,  most  of  whom  after 
proper  instruction  have  been  baptized. 
Here  are  no  heathens  or  infidels.  I  commonly  bap- 
tize about  100  children  in  one  year,  among  them 
some  black  children.  My  actual  communicants  are 
312.  Here  are  no  Papists  or  Deists."  In  1771  he 
writes  :  "  In  Reading,  my  hearers  at  once  are  about 
300.  There  is  a  meeting  of  Presbyterians  about  two 
and  a  half  miles  from  our  Church,  in  which  the  con- 
gregation is  not  so  large  as  ours.  In  a  manner, 
all  ...  who  live  near  the  Church  join  with  us  ; 
scarce  any  go  by  the  Church  to  meeting."  "The 
Church,  (he  says  in  1774)  stands  not  in  the  centre  of 
the  town,  but  on  one  side,  to  accommodate  the 
Church  people,  who  live  near,  though  out  of  the 
bounds  of  Reading." 

One  of  the  most  interesting  of  his  reports  is  that 
of  May  oth,  1772  : 

"  It  is  now  forty  years  since  I  have  had  the  ad- 
vantage of  being  the  venerable  Society' s  Missionary 
in  this  place.  .  .  .  Every  Sunday  I  have  per- 
formed divine  service,  and  preached  twice,  at  New 
Town  and  Reading  alternately  ;  and  in  these  forty 
years  I  have  lost  only  two  Sundays,  through  sick- 
ness ;  although  in  all  that  time  I  have  been  afflicted 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  103 

with  a  constant  cholic  which  has  not  allowed  me  one 
day's  ease,  or  freedom  from  pain.  The  distance  be- 
tween the  Church  ...  is  between  eight  and 
nine  miles,  and  no  very  good  road  ;  yet  I  have  never 
failed  ...  to  attend  at  each  place  according  to 
custom,  through  the  badness  of  the  weather,  but 
have  rode  it  in  the  severest  rains  and  snow  storms, 
even  when  there  has  been  no  track,  and  my  horse 
near  sinking  down  in  the  snow-banks  ;  which  has 
had  this  good  effect  on  my  parishioners,  that  they 
are  ashamed  to  stay  from  Church  on  account  of  bad 
weather.  ...  I  have  performed  divine  service 
in  many  towns  where  the  Common  Prayer  had  never 
been  heard,  nor  the  Holy  Scriptures  read  in  public, 
and  where  now  are  flourishing  congregations  of  the 
Church  of  England  ;  and  in  some  places  where  there 
never  had  been  any  public  worship  at  all,  nor  ser- 
mon preached  by  any  teacher,  of  any  denomination. 
"  In  my  travelling  to  preach  the  Gospel,  once  was 
my  life  remarkably  preserved,  in  passing  a  deep  and 
rapid  river.  The  retrospect  of  my  fatigues,  lying 
on  straw  &c,  gives  me  pleasure  ;  while  I  flatter 
myself  that  my  labor  has  not  been  quite  in  vain  ; 
for  the  Church  of  England  people  are  increased  more 
than  20  to  1,  and  what  is  infinitely  more  pleasing, 
many  of  them  are  remarkable  for  piety  and  virtue  ; 
and  the  Independents  here  are  more  knowing  in 
matters  of  religion,  than  they  who  live  at  a  distance 
from  the  Church.  We  live  in  harmony  and  peace 
with  each  other,  and  the  rising  generation  of  Inde- 
pendents seem  to  be  entirely  free  from  every  pique 
and  prejudice  against  the  Church."  In  a  previous 
report  he  said:  "  They  who  set  up  the  worship  of 
God  according  to  our  Liturgy,  at  Lanesboro',  at 
Nobletown  and  Arlington,  proceed  chiefly  from  my 
parishes.  But  notwithstanding  these  frequent  emi- 
grations, my  congregations  increase." 

His  last  report,  which  was  made  about  six  months 


104  IIISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

before  his  death,  is  dated  October  31st,  1781,  and  is 
as  follows : 

"It  is  a  long  time  since  I  have  done  my  duty  in 
writing  to  the  venerable  Society,  not  owing  to  my 
carelessness,  but  to  the  impossibility  of  conveyance 
from  here.  And  now  I  do  it  sparingly.  A  narra- 
tive of  my  troubles  I  dare  not  now  give.  My  two 
congregations  are  growing :  that  at  Heading  being 
commonly  about  300  and  at  New  Town  about  600. 

1  baptized  about  130  children  in  one  year,  and  lately 

2  adults.     New  Town  and  the  Church  of  England, 
part  of  Reading  are,  I  believe,  the  only  parts  of  New 
England   that   have  refused    to  comply  with  the 
doings  of  the  Congress,  and  for  that  reason  have 
been  the  butt  of  general  hatred.     But  God  has  pre- 
served us  from  entire  destruction. 

"  I  am  now  in  the  82d  year  of  my  age ;  yet  do 
constantly,  alternately,  perform  and  preach  at  New 
Town  and  Reading.  I  have  been  60  years  a  public 
preacher,  and,  after  conviction,  in  the  Church  of 
England  50  years  ;  but  had  I  been  sensible  of  my 
inefficiency,  I  should  not  have  undertaken  it.  But 
now  I  rejoice  in  that  I  think  I  have  done  more  good 
towards  men's  eternal  happiness,  than  I  should  have 
done  in  any  other  calling. 

"  I  do  most  heartily  thank  the  venerable  Society 
for  their  liberal  support,  and  beg  that  they  will  ac- 
cept of  this,  which  is,  I  believe,  my  last  bill,  viz  : 
£325,  which,  according  to  former  custom,  is  due. 
[Probably  at  £50  per  annum  for  six  years  and 
a  half,  or  from  1775.]  At  this  age  I  cannot  well 
hope  for  it,  but  I  pray  God  I  may  have  an  oppor- 
tunity to  explain  myself  with  safety  ;  but  must  con- 
clude now  with  Job's  expression  :  t  Have  pity  upon 
me,  have  pity  upon  me,  O  ye  my  friends  ! ' 

Tradition  has  preserved  a  few  incidents  in  his  ex- 
perience during  the  War  of  Independence  : 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  105 

"  In  the  autumn  of  1775,  several  officers  of  the 
militia,  having  collected  a  number  of  soldiers  and 
volunteers  from  the  different  towns  in  Western  Con- 
necticut, undertook  to  subdue  the  tones.  They 
went  first  to  Newtown,  where  they  put  Mr.  Beach, 
the  Selectmen,  and  other  principal  inhabitants,  un- 
der strict  guard,  and  urged  them  to  sign  the  Articles 
of  Association,  prescribed  by  the  Congress  at  Phila- 
delphia. When  they  could  prevail  upon  them 
neither  by  persuasion  nor  by  threats,  they  accepted 
a  bond  from  them,  with  a  large  pecuniary  penalty, 
not  to  take  up  arms  against  the  Colonies,  and  not  to 
discourage  enlistments  into  the  American  forces." 

Shortly  after  the  declaration  of  Independence  (i.e., 
July  23d,  1776)  the  Episcopal  clergy  of  the  colony 
fearing  to  continue  the  use  of  the  Liturgy  as  it  then 
stood — praying  for  the  king  and  royal  family— and 
conscientiously  scrupulous  about  violating  their 
oaths  and  subscriptions,  resolved  to  suspend  the 
public  exercise  of  their  ministry.  ' '  All  the  churches 
were  thus  for  a  time  closed,  except  those  under  the 
care  of  Mr.  Beach.  .  .  .  He  continued  to  offi- 
ciate as  usual' '  (as  himself  testifies)  during  the  war. 
"  Though  gentle  as  a  lamb  in  the  intercourse  of  pri- 
vate life,  he  was  bold  as  a  lion  in  the  discharge  of 
public  duty  ;  and,  when  warned  of  personal  violence 
if  he  persisted,  he  declared  that  he  would  do  his 
duty,  preach,  and  pray  for  the  King  till  the  rebels 
cut  out  his  tongue.' ' 

Whether  the  following  were  separate  incidents,  or 
are  but  different  versions  of  one  and  the  same,  is 
uncertain :  It  is  related  that  a  squad  of  soldiers 
marched  into  his  church  in  Newtown,  and  threat- 


100  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

ened  to  shoot  him  if  he  prayed  for  the  king  ;  but 
when,  regardless  of  their  threats,  he  went  on,  with- 
out so  much  as  a  tremor  in  his  voice,  to  offer  the  for- 
bidden supplications,  they  were  so  struck  with  ad- 
miration for  his  courage,  that  they  stacked  their 
arms  and  remained  to  listen  to  the  sermon. 

A  band  of  soldiers  entered  his  church  during  ser- 
vice, seized  him,  and  declared  that  they  would  kill 
him.  He  entreated  that,  if  his  blood  must  be  shed, 
it  might  not  be  in  the  house  of  God.  Thereupon 
they  took  him  into  the  street,  where  an  axe  and 
block  were  soon  prepared.  "  Now,  you  old  sinner 
(said  one),  say  your  last  prayer. "  He  knelt  down 
and  prayed  :  "  God  bless  King  George,  and  forgive 
all  his  enemies  and  mine,  for  Christ's  sake."  One 
of  the  mob  then  pleaded  to  "  let  the  old  fellow  go, 
and  take  some  younger  man  instead." 

The  following  is  1'amiliar  to  the  people  of  Redding 
Ridge  parish.  The  old  church  of  1750  had  a  single 
door  in  the  centre,  and  the  pulpit  and  chancel  were 
at  the  west  end,  opposite  the  door.  A  squad  of  sol- 
diers, seven  in  number  (hired,  it  is  said,  by  'Squire 
Betts  with  a  gallon  of  French  brandy  to  shoot  Mr. 
Beach),  gathered  before  the  open  door  of  the  church, 
and  from  one  of  them  a  bullet  was  fired  which 
lodged  in  one  of  the  ribs  of  the  sounding-board,  a 
foot  or  more  above  the  head  of  the  venerable  preach- 
er. As  the  congregation  sprang  to  their  feet  in 
unfeigned  consternation  to  rush  from  the  church,  he 
quieted  them  by  saying  :  "  Don't  be  alarmed,  breth- 
ren. Fear  not  them  that  kill  the  body,  but  are  not 
able  to  kill  the  soul ;  but  rather  fear  him  which  is 
able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  hell;"  and 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  107 

then  proceeded  with  his  discourse  as  if  nothing  had 
happened. 

The  "  History  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Connec- 
ticut" informs  us  that  "  the  Redding  Association  of 
Loyalists  was  a  strong  body,  whose  secret  influence 
was  felt  throughout  the  mission  of  the  venerable 
pastor  ;' '  but  how  or  in  what  way  that  influence 
was  exerted,  does  not  appear.  The  "  Sons  of  Lib- 
erty'7 have  been  already  mentioned  in  Mr.  Beach's 
reports. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Beach  in  1782,  the  Revs. 
Richard  Samuel  Clarke  and  Andrew  Fowler  offici- 
ated here  alternately  for  a  short  time.  Clarke  emi- 
grated to  Nova  Scotia  with  others  of  the  missiona- 
ries, and  many  of  the  members  of  their  flocks,  in  1784 
or  1785.  He  returned  on  a  visit  in  October,  1786. 
The  discontinuance  of  the  stipends  of  the  missiona- 
ries by  the  S.  P.  G.,  whose  charter  restricted  its  ben- 
efactions to  the  British  provinces  and  plantations, 
was  a  severe  blow  to  the  Episcopal  churches,  which 
had  been  already  greatly  weakened  by  the  effects  of 
the  War  of  the  Revolution.  Mr.  Beach's  congrega- 
tions were  exceptions  to  the  general  rule,  in  that 
they  increased  while  others  diminished  in  numbers  ; 
but  whether  few  or  many  of  the  Redding  Churchmen 
formed  a  part  of  the  thirty  thousand  Loyalists  who, 
Hawkins  says,  emigrated  to  the  British  provinces 
from  New  ..England  and  New  York,  it  is  impossible 
to  ascertain.  It  is  not  probable,  however,  that  there 
were  half  that  number  of  Churchmen  in  all  New 
England  at  the  close  of  the  war. 

The  next  name  on  the  list  of  ministers  of  this  par- 
ish is  that  of  Truman  Marsh  in  1785,  who  "visited 


108  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

the  Parish  every  third  Sunday  ;"  but,  as  he  was  not 
ordained  till  1790,  he  must  have  been  only  a  licensed 
lay-reader,  though  it  is  not  improbable  that  he 
preached — as  some  of  that  class  did,  in  those  days 
when  there  was  a  dearth  of  ordained  ministers.  In 
1794  the  Rev.  David  Perry,  M.D.,  minister  of  the 
parishes  of  Redding,  Ridgefield,  and  Danbury,  in 
consequence  of  some  reports  to  his  disadvantage  as 
a  clergyman,  and  of  some  errors  in  regard  to  baptism, 
was  suspended  from  the  ministry,  and  the  next 
year,  at  his  own  request,  deposed.  He  returned  to 
the  practice  of  medicine  in  Ridgefield. 

The  revenues  of  the  Church  were  gathered  after 
the  Revolution  much  as  they  were  before.  "The 
Episcopal  parishes  were  taxed  to  build  churches  and 
to  sustain  religious  services,  and  the  Diocesan  Con- 
vention assessed  the  parishes  to  provide  for  the 
Bishop's  Fund.  Each  parish  was  required  to  make 
an  annual  return  of  what  was  called  the  '  Grand 
Levy' — that  is,  its  taxable  list  according  to  its  last 
enrolment — and  upon  this  return  rested  the  right  of 
a  lay  delegate  to  his  seat  in  the  Convention.  The 
resolution  which  fixed  this  rule  was  adopted  in  1803. 
The  first  published  Grand  Levy  appeared  in  the 
Journal  of  1806  ;  and  from  that  time  onward  for  fif- 
teen years  the  roll  of  the  lay  delegates  was  accom- 
panied by  the  taxable  list  of  the  several  parishes 
which  they  represented.  If  the  list  of  any  parish 
exceeded  ten  thousand  dollars,  such  parish  was  en- 
titled to  .  .  .  two  delegates."  The  Grand  Levy 
of  the  Redding  parish  in  1806  was  812,960, 

"It  is  interesting  to  note  the  changes  since  that 
period  in  the  relative  wealth  of  the  Church  in  Con- 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  109 

necticut.  In  those  early  days,  as  reported,  Litchfield 
was  stronger  than  Waterbury  or  Hartford,  Wood- 
bridge  was  stronger  than  Meriden,  Huntington  than 
Derby,  Redding  than  Bridgeport,  and  Newtown 
than  New  Haven." 

The  longest  pastorate  since  Mr.  Beach  was  that  of 
his  great-grandson,  the  Rev.  Lemuel  B.  Hull,  who 
resigned  his  charge  in  1836,  after  twelve  years'  ser- 
vice. "  In  1815,  a  fund  of  a  little  more  than  $3000 
was  raised." 

On  the  second  Tuesday  in  October,  1833 — the  year 
in  which  the  present  church  edifice  was  built — the 
Annual  Convention  of  the  Diocese  at  Norwich  failed 
to  organize  for  want  of  two  more  lay  delegates  to 
form  a  quorum.  "  On  the  morning  of  that  day,  at 
three  o'clock,  the  steamboat  JN"ew  England,  on  her 
passage  from  New  York  to  Hartford,  having  on 
board  seventy-one  persons,  burst  both  her  boilers 
near  Essex,  and  eight  persons  were  immediately 
killed  and  thirteen  seriously  injured.  Among  those 
who  were  fatally  injured  were  Mr.  John  M.  Heron 
and  Dr.  Samuel  B.  Whiting,  lay  delegates  from 
Christ  Church,  Redding  ;  and  they  were  within  a 
mile  of  their  landing-place  at  the  time  of  the  acci- 
dent." 

In  the  spring  of  that  year  several  members  of  the 
parish  withdrew  by  certificate  ;  among  these  was 
John  Meeker,  clerk. 

At  a  parish  meeting,  October  25th,  1834,  the  vestry 
were  instructed  •"  to  take  proper  [legal]  steps  to 
procure  the  Records  of  the  Parish  from  the  hands  of 
the  late  Clerk,  without  delay."  At  another  meeting 


110  HISTORY  OF  BEDDING. 

in  December  following,  the  agents  of  the  parish 
(James  Sanford,  Jr.,  and  Charles  Beach)  were 
authorized  to  "prosecute  to  final  judgment  such 
suits  as  they  should  deem  necessary  for  the  re- 
covery of  the  books,  records,  funds  or  other  property 
of  the  Society,  before  any  Court  proper  to  try  the 
same." 

In  October,  1835,  fifty  dollars  were  appropriated 
from  the  parish  treasury  "  to  enable  the  agents  to 
carry  on  the  suit  commenced  against  the  heirs  of 
John  Meeker,  deceased."  Some  money  was  thus  re- 
covered, but  the  records  have  never  yet  been  found. 

In  1847  the  old  parish  debt  of  $870  (incurred  in 
the  building  of  the  church  in  1833)  was  paid  by  sub- 
scription. 

In  1850  the  parish  fund,  about  s2700,  which  be- 
fore had  been  held  as  a  loan  by  members  of  the  par- 
ish, was  by  a  considerable  effort,  and  against  the 
desire  and  judgment  of  the  minority,  collected  and 
invested  in  the  stock  of  the  Fairlield  County  Bank. 
The  same  year  the  church  edifice  was  altered  and 
repaired,  at  an  expense  of  $380.25.  "  On  Advent 
Sunday"  of  this  year,  "  the  last  Sunday  of  my  mrn- 
stry"  (says  the  Rev.  Joseph  P.  Taylor),  "  the  sum 
of  8600  was  collected  at  the  Offertory  for  the  pur- 
pose of  building  a  new  parsonage." 

"  The  above-named  sum,"  says  the  Rev.  Orsamus 
H.  Smith,  his  successor,  "  having  been  put  upon  the 
plate  in  written  pledges,  there  remains  of  them  un- 
redeemed in  April,  1853,  from  fifty  to  one  hundred 
dollars,"  which  being  "part  of  the  money  relied 
upon  for  the  building,  .  .  .  the  Vestry  were 


niSTORY  OF  REDD  IN  O.  Ill 

obliged  to  borrow  it.  and  it  remains  a  debt  upon  the 
parish.  The  new  house  was  finished  in  October, 
1851,  and  immediately  occupied  by  the  family  of 
Mr.  Smith. 

In  1858,  says  the  Key.  W.  W.  Bronson  :  "  The 
Glebe  lot  was  very  much  improved  by  the  purchase 
of  a  strip  of  land  [on  the  west  side]  and  the  erec- 
tion of  a  suitable  fence,  mainly  through  the  exer- 
tions of  the  ladies  of  the  parish." 

In  1863  the  organ  was  repaired,  and  the  broken 
bell  replaced  by  a  new  one  of  similar  tone,  from 
Meneeley's,  at  Troy. 

In  1873  the  church  spire  was  repaired,  and  the  old 
[English]  weathercock,  a  relic  of  Colonial  times  (one 
of  whose  legs  had  been  shot  off  by  one  of  Tryon'  s 
soldiers  in  1777),  having  persistently  refused  to  re- 
main upon  his  perch,  was  excused  from  further  duty, 
and  a  gilded  cross  erected  in  his  place.  The  vener- 
able bird,  however,  is  still  to  be  seen  on  one  of  the 
outbuildings  of  the  great-grandson  of  the  Rev.  John 
Beach,  in  East  Redding.  The  parsonage  was 
adorned  in  1874  with  a  new  and  spacious  veranda, 
in  1876  with  a  set  of  blinds. 

The  noticeable  incidents  of  the  present  year,  1879, 
are  the  destruction  of  the  church  sheds  by  fire  on 
the  evening  of  the  12th  of  May,  and  the  acquisition 
of  a  baptismal  font  of  Italian  marble,  purchased 
with  contributions  of  the  Sunday-school  and  other 
members  of  the  parish,  collected  during  the  rector- 
ship of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Kelley.  The  number  of  nomi- 
nal communicants  is  sixty  five  ;  of  baptized  persons, 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty. 


112 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 


LIST    OF    MINISTERS    OFFICIATING    IN    THE    PARISH    OF 
CHRIST  CHURCH,  REDDING. 


TO 


Rev.  Henry  Caner 1727 1732 

"    John  Beach lOct.,  1732 Mar.  19,1783.... 

R.  S.Clarke         f  alt-nate8.  1782. .  ,. . 

Andrew  Fowler  ) 

'•    Truman  Marsh 1785 

(   Officiated  a  short 

"     David  Belden 178G -|   time  only,   on  ac- 

(   count  of  ill-health. 
"    Ambrose  Hull 1789 1791 

David   Perry,  M.D 1791 Susp'd  Nov.  1794. 

David  Butler Jan.  20.  1799 |l804 

Elijah  G.  Plumb Jan.  30,  1806. . .  .J1811 

Reuben  Hubbard 1812 1818 

Ambrose  S.  Todd,  D.D. . . .  1820 1823 

Lemuel  B.  Hull (1824 Feb.  23,  1830 

Edward  J.  Darken,  M.D. . .  (Aug.,  1836   Dec.  25,  1837 

Charles  Jarvis  Todd June,  1838 Easter,  1842 

"     William   Atwill. May  8,  1842 1845 

"     David  H.  Short,  D.D Easter,  1845 1846 

"     Abel  Nichols 1846 1847 

•      "     Joseph.  P.  Taylor Easter,  1847 Dec.,  1850 

"     Orsamus  H.  Smith (Nov.  29,  1850....  Mar.  31,  1853 

"     Abel  Ofrden lJuly  10,  1853. . . .  Died  May  8.  1854. 

••     James  Adams Autumn,  1854. . .  Oct.,  1856 

"     Win.  White  Bronson 1857 1860 

"     Alfred  Londerback May  25, 1861 Aug.  5,  1862 

"     Henry  Zell March  12,  1863. .  Died  Nov.  5, 1863. 

"     Wm.'L.  Bostwick Easter,  1864 June  15,  1867 

"     John  W.  Hoffman Dec.  6,  1868 Nov.  30,  1871 

"     Charles  W.  Kelley Jan.  5,1873 1  April  30, 1876 

"     Ximenus  Alanson  Welton.  July  1,  1877 1 

The  number  of  communicants  belonging  to  Christ 
Church,  Redding,  as  reported  at  different  periods, 
were  : 

In  1809 55,  In  1860 47 

-  1810 631  "  1863 55 

"  1811 67|  "  1866 45 

"  1815 61  i  "  1869 37 

"  1817 61  "  1873 40 

"  1845 42  '  1874 55 

"  1851 60  i  '  1875 61 

•'  1854 56   '  1877 59 

«  1856 57  •  1878 64 

"1858 58   '1879 65 

"  1859 56 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  113 


CHAPTER  VII. 

METHODIST  EPISCOPAL   CHURCH. 

1789-1879. 

WHEN  Jesse  Lee  left  New  York  on  the  mission 
which  was  to  quicken  and  vitalize  the  New  England 
churches,  his  first  resting-place  was  at  Norwalk, 
where  he  preached  on  the  highway  tinder  a  spread- 
ing elm,  no  house  being  opened  to  him.  From 
Norwalk  he  proceeded  to  Fairfield  and  New  Haven, 
and  from  the  latter  place  to  Redding.  He  reached 
this  town  on  Wednesday,  the  24th  of  June,  1789, 
and  from  this  period  we  are  to  date  the  origin  of  the 
Methodist  Church  in  Redding,  although  some  six 
months  elapsed  before  it  was  formally  organized.  In 
his  journal  under  the  above  date,  Mr.  Lee  thus  nar- 
rates some  of  the  incidents  of  this  first  visit : 

"  I  travelled  a  stony  road  to  Redding  and  accord- 
ing to  directions  called  on  Esquire  Benedict  but  he 
was  not  at  home  ;  so  I  got  my  horse  and  rode  to 
Mr.  Rogers  to  consult  him  about  the  matter.  While 
I  was  talking  to  him  Mr.  Bartlett  a  Congregational 
minister  came  by,  and  being  informed  who  I  was 
asked  me  home  with  him.  After  I  had  been  there  a 
while  he  asked  me  some  questions  relative  to  doc- 
trines, and  I  endeavored  to  inform  him  what  kind  of 
doctrines  we  preached.  He  said  he  could  not  invite 
me  into  the  meeting  house,  because  I  held  what  he 
thought  was  contrary  to  the  gospel.  I  told  him  I  did 
not  expect  an  invitation  to  preach  in  the  meeting 
house,  but  if  I  was  asked  I  should,  not  refuse.  How- 
ever Mr.  Rogers  sent  his  son  down  in  a  little  time 
to  let  me  know  that  there  was  a.  school  house  that 


114  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

I  could  preach  in,  so  I  made  the  appointment  for  the 
people  at  six  o'clock.  Having  met  at  that  hour  I 
preached  on  Isa.  55  :  6  :  '  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he 
may  be  foimd  £c.'  I  bless  God  that  I  had  some 
liberty  in  preaching." 

The  school-house  where  this  first  sermon  was  de- 
livered probably  stood  on  the  common  near  the  old 
meeting- house.  The  few  and  simple  doctrines  that 
Mr.  Lee  preached  were  the  witness  of  the  Spirit, 
the  entire  efficacy  of  the  Atonement,  and  the  possi- 
bility of  falling  from  grace,  and  they  were  presented 
with  so  much  force  and  earnestness  as  to  produce  a 
deep  impression  on  those  who  heard  them  ;  yet  he 
had  no  time  to  remain  and  note  the  effect  produced, 
but  rode  away  the  next  day,  carrying  his  tidings  to 
other  communities.  Twice  again  Lee  visited  Red- 
ding— July  8th,  and  September  16th  of  the  same 
year — without  seeing  any  fruits  of  his  efforts  ;  for, 
although  many  were  impressed  with  the  truth  of  his 
doctrines,  they  hesitated  about  coming  out  openly 
and  joining  the  new  sect.  At  length  on  his  fourth 
visit,  December  28th,  1789,  he  "joined  two  in  so- 
ciety for  a  beginning.  A  man  who  has  lately  re- 
ceived a  witness  of  his  being  in  favor  with  the  Lord 
led  the  way,  and  a  woman  who  I  hope  was  lately 
converted,  followed.''  This  was  the  second  Method- 
ist society  organized  in  New  England,  the  first  be- 
ing at  Stratford.  The  two  first  members  mentioned 
above  were  Aaron  Sanford  and  his  mother-in-law, 
Mrs.  William  Hawley.  Mr.  Sanford  by  this  act  be- 
^ame  the  first  male  member  of  the  Methodist  Church 
in  New  England  ;  he  was  at  once  appointed  leader 
of  the  class  thus  formed,  and  its  meetings  were  held 


HISTORY  OF  BEDDING.  115 

for  years  at  liis  house.  After  its  organization  the 
growth  of  the  Society  was  very  rapid,  chiefly  through 
the  class-meeting,  and  that  agency  so  eifectively 
used  by  Methodism,  the  lay  preachers. 

It  is  unfortunate  that,  owing  to  the  loss  of  the 
early  records  of  the  church,  we  can  give  the  names 
of  but  few  of  its  original  members.  From  the  rec- 
ords of  the  first  society  I  copy  the  following  cer- 
tificate, dated  December  loth,  1789  : 

"  I  hereby  certify  that  Aaron  Sanford  of  Reading, 
has  constantly  attended  the  Methodist  meetings  in 
this  town,  and  pays  his  part  toward  my  support  as 
a  minister  of  the  gospel. 

"JESSE  LEE." 

Similar  certificates  were  given,  February  9th,  1790, 
to  Hezekiah  Sanford,  and  August  6th  of  the  same 
year  to  Isaac  Sherwood,  and  S.  Samuel  Smith. 

From  the  church  book  of  baptisms  which  has  been 
preserved,  we  learn  that  prior  to  1794  the  early 
preachers  had  baptized  children  of  Daniel  and  Anna 
Bartram,  Silas  and  Huldah  Merchant,  Jonas  and 
Lucy  Platt,  Paul  and  Mary  Bartram,  Jabez,  and 
Sarah  Gorham,  Elijah  and  Menoma  Elder,  Aaron 
and  Mary  Odle,  John  and  Sarah  Sherman,  Uriah 
and  Hannah  Mead,  Benjamin  and  Elizabeth  Knap, 
Chester  and  Elizabeth  Meeker,  Charles  arid  Lucy 
Morgan,  Ezekiel  and  Easter  Bertram,  Jesse  and 
Martha  Banks,  Isaac  and  Betty  Platt,  and  Aaron 
and  Eunice  Hunt,  and  we  may  safely  reckon  them 
as  members  of  the  church  at  that  time. 

Early  in  1790  Lee  organized  his  first  circuit  in 
New  England  ;  it  was  called  the  "  Fairfield  Circuit,' ' 
and  embraced  Norwalk,  Fairfield,  Stratford,  Mil- 


116  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

ford,  Redding,  Danbury,  Canaan,  and  intermediate 
places.  The  first  regularly  appointed  minister 
whose  name  appears  on  the  Society  records  was 
John  Bloodgood,  who  was  here  as  early  as  January 
21st,  1791,  perhaps  earlier.  He  was  a  native  of  the 
South,  and  after  serving  on  the  Fairfield  Circuit 
one  year,  was  transferred  to  the  Baltimore  Confer- 
ence, to  which  his  ministerial  labors  were  chiefly 
confined.  He  died  in  1810.  Like  most  of  his  col- 
leagues, he  preached  in  the  school-houses,  under 
trees,  sometimes  in  the  barns,  but  always  so  fervent- 
ly, and  with  such  native  eloquence,  that  multitudes 
flocked  to  hear  him.  He  was  succeeded  at  the  May 
(1791)  session  of  the  Conference  by  Nathaniel  B. 
Mills  and  Aaron  Hunt. 

Mr.  Mills  is  described  by  his  colleague,  Mr.  Hunt, 
as  "  a  man  small  in  stature,  intelligent,  sound,  an  able 
preacher,  and  rather  inclined  to  dejection."  He  was 
born  in  New  Castle  County,  Delaware,  February 
23d,  1766.  He  entered  the  Baltimore  Conference  in 
the  spring  of  1787,  and  after  a  laborious  ministry  of 
forty-two  years,  both  in  New  England  and  the  South, 
was  compelled  in  1835  to  retire  to  the  ranks  of  the 
superannuated,  where  he  remained  until  his  death  in 
1844.  His  colleague,  Rev.  Aaron  Hunt,  was  born  in 
Eastchester,Westchester  County,  N.  Y.,  March  28th, 
1768,  and  entered  the  Methodist  ministry  in  1791 , 
making  some  of  his  first  essays  at  preaching  on  the 
Redding  Circuit. 

In  1793,  while  preaching  in  Redding,  he  married 
Miss  Hannah  Sanford,  daughter  of  the  Mr.  Aaron 
Sanford  before  mentioned,  and  shortly  after  "lo- 
cated'' in  Redding,  where  he  continued  to  reside  for 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  117 

many  years,  and  where  most  of  his  large  family  of 
children  were  born.  Mr.  Hunt  was  prominent  among 
the  early  Methodist  preachers,  and  was  well  known 
throughout  the  State.  During  his  pastorate  the 
church  had  been  encouraged  by  a  visit  from  the  emi- 
nent Bishop  Asbury,  who  passed  through  Redding 
in  June,  1791,  during  his  hasty  tour  through  New 
England,  and  preached  here  ' '  with  much  satisfac- 
tion," as  he  remarks  in  his  journal.  The  church  re- 
ceived another  and  longer  visit  from  him  in  Septem- 
ber, 1796.  "  The  society  in  that  village,"  says  Mr. 
Stevens,  the  historian  of  Methodism,  "had  been 
gradually  gathering  strength.  They  assembled  to 
greet -him  at  Mr.  Sandford's,  where  he  gave  them  an 
encouraging  discourse  from  1  Peter  1  :  13-15." 
From  this  time  until  1811,  the  record  of  the  church 
is  one  of  continued  growth  and  prosperity  ;  revivals 
were  frequent  and  accessions  many ;  classes  wrere 
early  formed  at  Lonetown,  Redding  Ridge,  Sanford- 
town,  Boston,  and  at  Long  Ridge,  the  latter  some 
years  later  becoming  a  separate  church  organization. 
Still  the  society  was  without  a  house  of  worship, 
and  the  want  was  beginning  to  be  severely  felt. 
In  1803  they  first  leased  the  town-hall  for  a  place  of 
public  worship,  as  appears  by  the  following  extract 
from  the  town  records  :  "  At  a  town  meeting  held 
December  12,  1803,  it  was  voted,  '  That  the  Town 
House  be  leased  to  the  Methodist  Society  for  $15 
per  year  to  be  used  as  often,  and  as  much  as  they 
please  for  public  worship,  and  said  Society  to  repair 
all  damage  done  to  the  Town  House  while  they  are 
assembled  therein  for  public  worship.' '  This  lease 
was  continued  from  year  to  year  at  varying  rates, 


118  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

until  the  erection  of  the  first  church  in  1811.  Of  the 
building  of  this  edifice  we  have  no  data  except  such 
as  is  contained  in  this  extract  from  the  society 
records  : 

"At  a  Society  meeting  of  the  Methodists,  duly 
warned  and  held  at  the  house  of  AVilliam  Sanford 
in  Kedding,  on  Tuesday  the  30th  day  of  October, 
1810.  Voted,  that  Seth  Andrews,  William  Sanford, 
and  John  R.  Hill  be  a  committee  to  said  society  for 
the  ensuing  year,  to  do  and  transact  all  temporal 
business.  Voted,  That  our  said  committee  carry 
round  a  subscription  paper  immediately  to  raise 
money  for  the  purpose  of  building  a  Meeting-House 
in  said  Redding,  for  the  purpose  of  Divine  Wor- 
ship. 

X  SANFORD,  Cleric." 


The  church  was  built  the  succeeding  summer.  It 
stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  residence  of  Deacon 
Charles  Smith,  on  land  purchased  of  Jonathan  R. 
Sanford,  Esq.  His  deed  conveying  the  land,  dated 
June  6th,  1811,  was  given  to  Seth  Andrews,  William 
Sanford,  and  John  R.  Hill,  trustees  for  the  Method- 
ist church  and  society  in  Redding,  the  consideration 
being  $130.  No  actual  description  of  the  first 
church  is  preserved  to  us,  except  that  it  was  built 
after  the  usual  fashion  of  Methodist  churches  in 
those  days.  It  had  no  steeple  nor  tower,  no  ceiling 
except  the  roof,  and  there  were  no  means  of  warm- 
ing it,  except  by  foot-stoves  earned  in  by  the  female 
worshippers.  With  the  above  exceptions,  the  follow- 
ing description  of  an  early  Methodist  church  would 
probably  apply  to  this  in  every  particular  : 

"  The  building  was  as  unpolluted  by  paint  within 
and  without  as  \vhen  its  timbers  were  standing  in 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  119 

their  native  forest.  A  gallery  extended  around  three 
sides.  At  the  extreme  end  of  the  left  gallery  wns  a 
small  room  partitioned  off  for  class  meetings.  The 
pulpit  was  elevated  about  six  feet  above  the  floor, 
and  in  form  resembled  a  large  dry  goods  box,  the 
breastworks  so  high  as  almost  to  conceal  the 
preacher  if  small  of  stature  from  view.  From  the 
pulpit  extended  a  staircase  conducting  to  the  class- 
room in  the  gallery,  to  which  the  preacher  and  the 
members  repaired  at  the  close  of  the  public  ser- 
vices."* 


of  the  incidents  in  the  history  of  the  old 
church  are  so  vividly  remembered  and  described  as 
the  quarterly  meetings  which  were  held  there.  The 
quarterly  meeting  to  the  early  Methodist  was  the 
most  important  of  all  the  institutions  of  the  church, 
and  those  held  in  Redding  were  especially  note- 
worthy ;  it  was  a  sort  of  home-coming  to  the  mother 
church,  and  at  such  times  all  the  Methodist  homes  in 
town  were  open  to  the  brethren  from  abroad.  The 
presiding  elder  and  the  two  preachers  on  the  "Cir- 
cuit" were  always  present  on  these  occasions,  and 
the  membership  was  gathered  from  Danbury,  Ridge- 
lield,  Easton,  and  Newtown,  as  well  as  from  places 
more  remote.  The  exercises  on  these  occasions  be- 
gan at  9  o'clock  on  Sabbath  morning  with  the  "  love- 
feast"  and  the  passing  of  bread  and  water,  of  which 
all  partook,  as  a  token  of  their  brotherhood  in 
Christ.  At  10.30  a  sermon  was  preached  by  the 
elder.  At  12  M.  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper 
was  administered.  At  1  P.M.  another  sermon  was 
preached,  generally  by  one  of  the  preachers  in 

*  Sermon  of  Rev.  J.  L.  Gilder,  before  the  N.  Y.  East  Conference. 


120  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

charge.  At  the  conclusion  of  this  discourse  the 
genial  elder  would  proceed  to  designate  to  the 
guests  their  respective  places  of  entertainment.  The 
day  was  usually  concluded  by  a  series  of  prayer- 
meetings  held  in  the  different  districts,  and  con- 
ducted with  great  warmth  and  fervor. 

The  old  church  seems  to  have  been  intended  for  a 
temporary  structure,  and  was  succeeded  in  1837  by 
the  present  neat  and  commodious  edifice.  A  brief 
account  of  the  erection  of  the  present  building  will 
be  interesting  and  probably  new  to  many,  though 
little  more  than  forty  years  have  elapsed  since  its 
timbers  were  standing  in  the  forest. 

AVe  find  on  the  society  records  the  following  en- 
tries : 

"  The  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Society 
of  Redding  are  hereby  notified  and  warned,  that  a 
society's  meeting  for  said  society  will  be  held  on 
Tuesday  the  26th  day  of  instant  January  at  one 
o'clock  P.M.  at  the  Methodist  Church  in  said  Red- 
ding for  the  purpose  of  taking  into  consideration  the 
propriety  of  building  a  new  church  in  said  society, 
and  locating  the  same  near  the  intersection  of  the 
roads  near  the  Town  House,  appointing  a  building 
committee  to  superintend  and  carry  said  object  into 
effect,  make  arrangements  to  dispose  of  the  old  house 
if  thought  proper,  and  to  do  any  other  business 
proper  to  be  done  at  said  meeting. 

"  SHERLOCK  TODD,    i 

JESSE  BANKS,         -  Trustees. 

AAEON  MALLETT,  ) 

"REDDING,  Jan.  20,  1886." 

A  society  meeting  was  held  at  the  appointed 
time — Rev.  H.  Humphreys  being  chairman,  and 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  121 

Thomas  B.  Fanton  clerk.  It  was  then  voted  "  To 
approve  of  the  proposed  plan  in  the  caption  of  the 
subscription  paper  to  raise  subscriptions  and  build 
a  new  house.  .  .  .  ' 

It  was  also  further  provided  "that  the  said 
House  shall  be  located  somewhere  near  the  four  cor- 
ners that  intersect  at  Redding  Town  House,  But  the 
said  object  not  to  take  effect,  unless  the  sum  of  Two 
thousand  Five  hundred  Dollars  be  subscribed,  and 
the  said  House  be  built  within  eighteen  months  from 
the  date  hereof." 

Voted  :  "  To  build  a  House  agreeable  to  the  above 
caption,  provided  a  place  be  obtained  that  is  approved 
by  the  committee  appointed  for  that  purpose." 

Voted:  "To  appoint  a  Building  Committee  of 
three  persons  to  superintend,  and  take  charge,  and 
contract  for  the  same  House,  viz.  :  Thomas  B.  Fan- 
ton,  John  R.  Hill,  and  Gershom  Sherwood." 

Voted  :  "To  add  two  more  to  the  building  Com- 
mittee— Jesse  Banks  and  David  Duncomb." 

Voted:  "To  adjourn  the  meeting  two  weeks 
from  this  day  at  one  P.M." 

THOMAS  B.  FANTOIST,  Clerk. 

No  account  of  the  adjourned  meeting  is  to  be 
found  in  the  society  records.  The  twenty-five  hun- 
dred dollars  needed  was  speedily  subscribed,  and  the 
building  was  erected  in  the  summer  of  1837  and  ded- 
icated in  December  of  the  same  year,  Rev.  C.  K. 
True  preaching  the  dedication  sermon. 

In  1868,  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  William  T. 
Hill,  the  church  was  thoroughly  remodelled  and  re- 
furnished. The  pulpit  was  cut  down,  and  the  an- 
tique pews  exchanged  for  the  present  neat  and  com- 
lortable  ones.  The  rededication  service  at  this  time 


122  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

was  perhaps  the  most  interesting  occasion  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  church.  Bishop  Janes  was  present,  and 
preached  the  dedication  sermon  to  an  audience  that 
tilled  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  building,  and 
many  old  pastors  and  friends  of  the  church  added  by 
their  presence  to  the  interest  of  the  occasion. 

In  September,  1870,  Rev.  Aaron  Sanford  Hill  gave 
to  the  church  some  ten  acres  of  land  lying  in  the 
northerly  part  of  the  town,  the  income  from  which 
was  to  be  appropriated  to  the  use  of  the  church. 
This  gift  Mr.  Sanford  supplemented  by  another  of 
$4000  in  1871,  of  which  the  interest  only  was  to  be 
used  in  meeting  the  expenses  of  the  church.  This 
fund  is  known  as  the  Sanford  Hill  Fund.  In  1877 
another  benefaction  of  $500  was  given  by  "William 
A.  Sanford,  Esq.,  to  be  applied  in  the  same  manner 
as  the  preceding. 

Revivals  in  the  church  have  been  frequent,  and 
attended  with  gratifying  results :  notably  in  1815 
under  the  preaching  of  Rev.  Reuben  Harris,  in 
1822  during  the  pastorate  of  Aaron  Hunt,  in  1838 
under  that  of  Rev.  John  Crawford,  in  1855  under 
Rev.  E.  S.  Hebbard,  and  in  1867  under  Rev.  Wil- 
liam T.  Hill. 

According  to  the  minutes  of  the  Annual  Confer- 
ences the  following  ministers  were  appointed  to 
Fairfield  Circuit  (which  included  Redding),  begin- 
ning with  its  organization  in  1790  : 

1790  John  Bloodgood. 

1791  Nathaniel  B.  Mills,  Aaron  Hunt. 

1792  Joshua  Taylor,  Smith  Weeks. 

1793  James  Coleman,  Aaron  Hunt. 

1794  Zebulon  Kankey,  Nicholas  Snethen. 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  1^ 

Those  appointed  to  Redding  Circuit  were  : 

1795  Daniel  Dennis,  Timothy  Dewey. 

1796  Elijah  Woolsey,  Robert  Leeds. 

1797  David  Buck,  Augustus  Jocelyn. 

1798  William  Thatcher. 

1799  David  Brown. 

1800  Augustus  Jocelyn. 

1801  Samuel  Merwin,  Isaac  Candee. 

1802  James  Coleman,  Isaac  Candee. 

1803  James  Campbell,  N.  U.  Tompkins. 

1804  Peter  Moriarty,  Sylvester  Foster. 

1805  Peter  Moriarty,  Samuel  Merwin. 

1806  Nathan  Felch,  Oliver  Sykes. 

1807  James  M.  Smith,  Zalmon  Lyon. 

1808  Noble  W.  Thomas,  Jonathan  Lyon. 

1809  Billy  Hibbard,  Isaac  Candee. 

1810  Nathan  Emory,  John  Russell. 

1811  Aaron  Hunt,  Oliver   Sykes,  and   John   Rey- 

nolds. 

1812  Seth  Crowel,  Gilbert  Lyon,  S.  Beach. 

1813  Aaron  Hunt,  Henry  Eames. 

1814  Ebenezer  Washburne,  Reuben  Harris. 

1815  Elijah  Woolsey,  Reuben  Harris. 

1816  Samuel  Bushnell,  John  Boyd. 

1817  Samuel  Bushnell,  Theodocius  Clarke. 

1818  James  M.  Smith,  Theodocius  Clarke. 

1819  J.  S.  Smith,  Phineas  Cook. 

1820  Laban  Clark,  Phineas  Cook. 
^  821  Laban  Clark,  Aaron  Hunt. 

1822  Samuel  Cochrane,  Aaron,  Hunt. 

1823  Samuel  Cochrane,  John  Reynolds. 

1824  Elijah  Woolsey,  John  Reynolds. 

To  Redding  and  Bridgeport  Circuit : 

1825  Marvin  Richardson,  H.  Humphreys,  Frederic 

W.  Siger. 

1826  Marvin  Richardson,  H.  Humphreys. 

1827  Henry  Stead,  John  Lovejoy,  J.  C.  Bontecue. 


124  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

To  Redding  Circuit : 

1828  Henry  Stead,  Gershom  Pearce. 

1829  Ebenezer  Washburn,  Gershom  Pearce. 

1830  Ebenezer  Wasliburn,  Oliver  Y.  Am  merman. 

1831  James  Young,  Josiah  Bo  wen. 

1832  Nicholas  White,  Jesse  Hunt. 

1833  Jesse  Hunt,  John  B.  Beach. 

1834  Josiah  Bowen,  John  B.  Beach. 

To  Redding  and  Newtown  Circuit : 

1835  Humphrey  Humphries,  Josiah  L.  Dickerson, 

John  Davies. 

1836  Humphrey  Humphries. 

March  28th,  1837,  the  society,  "after  due  delib- 
eration, existing  circumstances  being  considered, 
voted  to  try  a  station  the  ensuing  year  ;' '  which  was 
accordingly  done,  and  the  Rev.  Humphrey  Humph- 
ries became  the  first  stated  pastor. 

Since  then  the  church  has  enjoyed  the  undivided 
care  of  its  pastors,  and  has  been  generally  prosper- 
ous and  aggressive. 

The  list  of  pastors  since  1837  comprises  many  well- 
known  names  and  will  be  read  with  interest.  They 
are  as  follows  : 

1838  John  Crawford,  2d ;  Morris  Hill. 

1839-40  Paul  R.  Brown. 

1841-2  Daniel  Smith. 

1843  Phillip  L.  Hoyt. 

1844-5  William  F.  Collins. 

1846-7  Joseph  D.  Marshall. 

1848-9  Jacob  Shaw. 

1850-1  John  L.  Gilder. 

1852-3  Friend  W.  Smith. 

1854-5  E.  S.  Hibbard. 

1856-7  Hart  F.  Pease. 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  125 

1858  George  C.  Crevey. 

1859  William  II.  Gilder. 
1860-1  John  W.  Home. 
1862-3  George  Hollis. 
1864-6  David  Nash. 
1867-8  William  T.  Hill. 
1869  Alexander  Graham. 
1870-2  Theodore  C.  Beach. 
1873  William  R.  Webster. 
1874-6  Joseph  Smith. 
1877-8  John  Dickinson. 
1879  John  Haugh. 

Of  the  above  list,  but  one,  Rev.  Jacob  Shaw,  died 
and  was  buried  in  Redding.  Of  the  laymen  who 
nobly  aided  these  clergymen  in  their  ministry  many 
will  be  held  in  grateful  remembrance  by  the 
church. 

The  names  most  familiar  to  the  early  membership 
perhaps  were  those  of  the  lay  preachers,  Aaron  San- 
ford,  Hawley  Sanford,  Rory  Starr,  and  Walter  San- 
ford ;  the  class  leaders,  John  R.  Hill,  Abraham 
Couch,  Urrai  Meade,  Sherlock  Todd,  and  Bradley 
Burr  ;  and  the  official  members,  Thomas  B.  Fanton, 
David  S.  Duncomb,  Aaron  Sanford,  Jr.,  Charles 
Gorham,  Eben  Treadwell,  and  John  Edmonds. 

The  present  membership  of  the  church  is  149. 
Males,  57  ;  females,  92. 

II. 

THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL   CHURCH  AT  LONG  KIDGE. 

The  origin  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in 
Long  Ridge,  as  narrated  by  Rev.  Paul  R.  Brown, 
pastor  of  the  church  in  1842,  was  as  follows  : 


126  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

"  One  evening  as  Father  Goldman  (a  Methodist 
preacher)  was  passing  through  Starr's  Plain,  on  his 
way  to  Danbury,  he  saw  a  man  sitting  on  the  fence 
by  the  wayside,  and  inquired  the  distance  to  town. 
The  man  told  him,  and  added  :  '  Are  you  a  Doctor  ? ' 
'  No,  sir.'  '  Are  you  a  Lawyer  ? '  '  No,  sir.'  '  Then,' 
said  the  man,  following  up  the  question,  '  what  are 
you  ? '  Father  Coleman  answered,  '  I  am  a  Meth- 
odist preacher.'  '  Methodist  preacher  !  What's 
that  ? '  replied  the  man.  '  If  you  will  open  your 
house,  and  invite  in  your  neighbors,  I  will  let  you 
hear  a  Methodist  preacher,  the  next  time  I  come 
this  way,'  was  the  reply.  The  offer  was  accepted, 
and  Father  Coleman  preached  to  them  on  his  next 
visit ;  ;he  soon  organized  a  cla.ss,  and  among  the 
members  of  that  class  was  the  man  who  sat  upon 
the  fence  and  questioned  the  preacher.  After  that 
the  class  grew  into  a  society,  and  in  due  time  a 
small  church  was  built  in  Long  Ridge,  which  gave 
way  to  a  larger  editice,  in  the  course  of  a  few 
years." 

The  first  church  w^as  built  when  the  society  con- 
sisted of  but  eleven  members,  under  the  following 
circumstances.  They  were  assembled  for  the 
weekly  class-meeting  at  the  house  of  one  of  their 
number,  and  were  speaking  of  their  need  of  a 
church,  when  Uriah  Griffin  remarked,  that  if  he  had 
a  hundred  dollars  in  hand  he  would  build  them  a 
church.  David  Osborne,  the  youngest  member  pres- 
ent, at  once  agreed  to  furnish  the  required  sum, 
and  the  church  was  built  the  same  year.  This  was 
in  1820-1,  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Laban  Clark. 
The  little  society  at  once  became  connected  with 
Redding  Station  as  an  auxiliary,  the  preacher  in 
charge  there  having  the  care  of  its  temporal  con- 
cerns, and  filling  its  pulpit  once  in  four  weeks.  In 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  12? 

the  interim  the  pulpit  was  supplied  by  the  lay 
preachers,  Aaron  Sanford,  Morris  Hill,  Aaron  S. 
Hill,  of  Redding,  Rory  Starr,  of  Danbury,  and 
others.  The  society's  connection  with  Redding 
ceased  in  1848,  and  the  same  relation  was  formed 
with  the  church  in  Bethel.  For  several  years  past 
it  has  been  a  separate  station.  The  pastors  of  the 
church  from  1820  to  1848  were  the  same  as  those  of 
Redding,  and  are  given  in  the  history  of  the  Red- 
ding Church.  The  pastors  since  1848  have  been  as 
follows  : 

1848-9  Morris  Hill. 

1850      Elias  Gilbert. 

1851-2  Charles  Bartlett, 

1853-4  George  Stillman. 

1855-6  Samuel  H.  Smith. 

1857-8  John  Crawford. 

1859      David  Osborn. 

1860-1  Sherman  D.  Barnes,  local  preacher. 

1862-3  Elias  Gilbert. 

1864  William  H.  Adams. 

1865  J.  W.  Bramblee. 
1866-7  G.  W.  Policy,  local* 

1868  Stephen  J.  Stebbins. 

1869  James  H.  Crofut,  local. 

1870  Frank  F.  Jorden,  local. 

1871  William  P.  Armstrong,  local. 

1872  Frank  F.  Jorden,  local. 

1873  Joseph  W.  Pattison,  local. 
1874-5  William  Cogswell,  local. 
1876      Joseph  W.  Pattison,  local. 
1877-8  Charles  A.  Wilson,  local. 
1879      Henry  A.  Van  Dalsem. 

The  membership  at  present  is  sixty.  * 

*  The  present  church  edifice  is  situated  in  Danbury,  a  few  yards 
from  the  Redding  line,  but  as  the  church  was  so  long  identified  witli 
Redding,  it  was  thought  proper  to  preserve  its  history  here. 


128  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

III. 

A  few  yards  from  Redding  Station,  on  the  banks 
of  the  Saugatuck  River,  is  situated  the  old  camp- 
ground, noted  for  being  the  place  where  the  first 
camp-meeting  of  the  Methodists  in  New  England 
was  held.  Just  when  this  event  occurred  we  are  un- 
able to  state,  but  it  was  about  1810,  probably  under 
the  leadership  of  Nathan  Bangs.  The  tents  of  this 
first  assemblage  were  of  the  most  primitive  kind, 
many  of  them  being  constructed  of  the  branches  of 
trees,  and  others  of  blankets  stretched  over  a  frame- 
work of  poles.  Meetings  continued  to  be  held  in 
this  grove  every  year  for  over  sixty  years. 

About  1860,  owing  to  some  difficulty  in  leasing 
the  grounds,  and  from  other  causes,  the  meetings 
here  were  discontinued,  and  another  camp -ground 
opened  at  Milford,  Conn.,  on  the  line  of  the  Naug- 
atuck  Railroad. 

This  grove  was,  however,  soon  abandoned,  never 
having  been  popular  with  the  Methodist  public.  In 
1878,  after  the  lapse  of  nearly  twenty  years,  the  old 
camp-ground  at  Redding  was  reopened,  and  that 
year  a  very  successful  and  well-attended  meeting 
was  held  there. 

It  was  supposed,  then,  that  the  grove  would  be 
purchased  and  continue  to  be  used  for  camp-meet- 
ing purposes,  but  this  desirable  consummation  was 
not  effected. 


HISTORY  OF  KEDDING.  12!) 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE   BAPTIST    CHURCH    IN    GEORGETOWN    (NOW    EX- 
TINCT). 

THAT  there  was  a  society  of  Baptists  in  Redding 
as  early  as  1785,  appears  from  an  entry  in  the  rec- 
ords of  the  First  Society,  dated  December  9th,  1785, 
wherein  Michael  Wood  has  a  certificate  given  him 
by  John  Lee,  Deacon,  as  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church  in  Redding. 

Similar  certificates  were  given  to  John  Conch, 
Micayah  Starr,  and  Jabez  Wakeman  ;  but  we  have 
no  evidence  of  the  existence  of  a  church  here  until 
1 833.  On  the  28th  of  January  of  that  year  an  eccle- 
siastical council  was  held  at  the  house  of  Timothy 
Wakeman,  in  Redding,  and  a  church  formally  organ- 
ized. The  record  of  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting 
constitutes  the  first  entry  in  the  Church  Book  of 
Records,  and  is  as  follows  : 

"  Chose  Elder  Thomas  Lascombe  Moderator,  and 
Elder  Nathan  Wildman,  Clerk.  Invited  Brethren 
present  to  a  seat  with  the  Council.  Proceeded  to 
hear  the  Articles  and  Covenant,  also  reasons  why 
they  wished  to  be  constituted  into  a  Church.  The 
Council  unanimously  voted  to  proceed  to  the  con- 
stitution. Repaired  to  the  meeting  house.  Intro- 
ductory prayer  and  sermon  by  Elder  Nathan  Wild- 
man. Right  hand  of  fellowship  in  behalf  of  the 
Council,  and  closing  prayer  by  Elder  Thomas  Las- 
combe. "NATHAN  WILDMAN,  Clerk."1 

There  were  but  18  original  members — 4  males  and 
14  females.     For  some  years  there  was  no  settled  pas- 
10 


130  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

tor,  and  the  pulpit  was  supplied  alternately,  once 
in  four  weeks,  by  Elders  S.  Ambler,  of  Danbury. 
and  Stephen  B.  Bray,  a  licentiate  from  Sonthbnry. 
Conn.  Elders  X.  Wildman,  of  Weston  :  Erastus  I ' 
of  Colebrook,  Conn.,  and  Chandler  Curtis  also 
preached  occasionally.  June  3d,  1837,  the  church 
extended  a  unanimous  call  to  Rev.  William  Bo  wen. 
of  Mansfield,  Conn.,  which  was  accepted,  and  he  be- 
came the  first  pastor  of  the  church.  He  continued 
to  sustain  this  relation  to  the  church  until  Novem- 
ber, 1838,  when  he  was  dismissed,  owing  to  the  ina- 
bility of  the  society  to  meet  his  salary.  The  same 
month  the  church  edifice  was  nearly  destroyed  by 
mob  violence — the  only  instance  of  the  kind  that 
ever  occurred  in  this  staid  and  conservative  town. 

It  was  1838,  the  period  of  the  slavery  excitement. 
when  abolitionist  and  pro-slavery  man  engaged  in 
almost  daily  conflict,  and  men  thought  to  stifle  with 
shot-gun  and  bludgeon  the  first  faint  stirrings  of 
the  national  conscience.  A  few  pithy  entries  in  the 
church  records  thus  refer  to  the  affair  : 

"  Nov.  26th.  Rev.  Nathaniel  Colver  lectured  on 
slavery  in  our  meeting  house — was  disturbed  by  un- 
ruly persons." 

"  27th.  Another  lecture  on  Slavery  molested  as 
night  before." 

"28th.  Meeting  house  blown  up  by  a  mob,  bur 
not  entirely  destroyed." 

This  is  all  the  information  the  church  records  give 
us  on  the  subject,  but  from  the  files  of  the  Xor- 
walk  Gazette  for  that  year  we  glean  a  full  account 
of  the  affair.  This  article  is  interesting,  as  showing 


HISTORY  OF  REDDIXfi.  131 

the  manner  in  which  even  the  Whigs  handled  the 
question  of  slavery  at  that  time. 

"  HIGH-HANDED  OUTRAGE. — We  learn  that  Judge 
Lynch  has  been  exercising  his  summary  proceedings 
in  this  vicinity  within  the  week  past.  Colver,  the 
abolitionist  lecturer,  has  been  holding  forth,  as  we 
understand,  for  a  number  of  evenings,  on  the  subject 
of  immediate  emancipation,  in  the  Baptist  church  in 
Redding,  and  in  the  course  of  his  lectures  had  taken 
occasion  to  exhibit  before  his  audience  the  practi- 
cal am.ali/d/nafionism  of  the  Vice-President  of  the 
liiited  States,  the  Hon.  Richard  M.  Johnson.  We 
are  informed  that  he  accused  this  distinguished  per- 
sonage of  making  merchandise  of  the  offspring  or 
his  own  loins,  of  selling  his  own  sons  and  daughters 
into  slavery.  This  so  enraged  some  of  his  political 
partisans,  that  they  determined  to  abolisli  the  walls 
which  had  echoed  the  nefarious  libel  upon  '  Dick, 
the  Tecumseh  Killer.'  So,  after  the  lecture  was  con- 
cluded, a  keg  of  gunpowder  was  deposited  under 
the  church  which  had  been  profaned  by  these  abo- 
lition orgies — and  about  two  o'clock  on  the  morning 
of  the  29th  ult.  the  church  was  blown  '  sky-high,'  as 
John  Randolph  used  to  say.  It  was  a  small  build- 
ing of  one  story,  and  not  worth  more  than  $500. 
But  notwithstanding  the  provocation,  and  notwith- 
standing the  comparatively  trifling  amount  of  damage 
occasioned  by  this  wanton  outrage,  we  most  sin- 
cerely deprecate  the  prevalence  of  a  spirit  which 
does  violence  to  the  dearest  rights  of  every  freeman 
in  the  land — the  freedom  of  speech  and  of  opinion. 
We  are  no  apologists  for  the  intemperate  and  fanatic 
zeal  of  the  abolitionists  ;  but  we  deem  it  the  duty 
of  every  press  in  the  land  to  cry  out  against  such 
violations  of  the  Constitution  and  laws.  And  though 
we  would  denounce  in  the  severest  terms  the  exas- 
perating conduct  of  the  abolitionists,  we  would  at  the 
same  time  do  our  inmost  to  bring  the  trespassers 


132  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

upon  the  rights  which  the  Constitution  guarantees  to 
every  citizen  and  the  violators  of  the  public  peace, 
to  condign  punishment."* 

This  action  of  the  mob,  with  the  dissensions  en- 
gendered by  it,  proved  a  sad  blow  to  the  church,  and 
from  which  it  never  fully  recovered,  although  it  con- 
tinued in  existence  for  several  years.  Elder  John 
H.  Waterbury  served  the  church  as  pastor  for  some 
months  in  1839,  and  was  succeeded  in  1841  by  Elder 
John  Noyes,  of  North  Haven. 

Mr.  Noyes'  letter  of  dismission  from  the  Baptist 
church  in  North  Haven  is  as  follows  : 

•*  The  Baptist  Church    in  North    Haven-    to    the 
Baptist  Church  in  Reading. 

"  DEAR  BRETHREN,  This  certifies  that  Rev.  John 
Noyes  and  his  wife  Ann  are  members  of  this  church 
in  good  standing,  and  as  such  we  commend  them  to 
your  Christian  affection  and  fellowship.  We  have 
voted  that  when  they  are  received  by  you,  we  shall 
consider  their  connection  with  us  dissolved. 

"  In  behalf  of  the  church  in  North  Haven. 

"  M.  F.  ROBINSON,  Clerk. 

"  May  1,  1841." 

April  2d,  1842,  Mr.  Noyes  was  dismissed  to  Phil- 
lipstown,  N.  Y.  Rev.  George  Crocker,  of  Danbury, 
supplied  the  pulpit  for  the  succeeding  twelve 

*A  resident  of  Georgetown  at  the  time  gives  the  following  addi- 
tional particulars  :  About  two  o'clock  on  the  morning  following  Mr. 
Oolver's  lecture,  the  inhabitants  of  Georgetown  were  startled  by  a 
tremendous  report  and  rumbling  noise,  which  jarred  the  houses  and 
broke  the  windows  in  the  immediate  neighborhood.  In  the  morn 
ing,  this  unusual  disturbance  was  found  to  have  been  caused  by  the 
explosion  of  a  keg  of  powder  which  had  been  placed  directly  under 
Hie  pulpit,  a  portion  of  the  underpinning  of  the  church  having  been 
removed  for  that  purpose.  The  pulpit  was  demolished,  the  front  of 
the  building  displaced  several  feet,  the  windows  broken  out,  and  the 
walls  destroyed. 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  133 

months.  Elder  David  Pease  was  the  next  preacher, 
he  being  called  February  llth,  1844.  His  connection 
with  the  church  was  short  and  uneventful.  There 
is  no  record  of  any  other  preacher  being  called  ;  in 
fact,  the  society  was  becoming  too  weak  to  support 
an  organization,  and  shortly  after,  in  October,  1847, 
was  dissolved  by  the  unanimous  vote  of  its  mem- 
bers. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE    METHODIST     PROTESTANT     CHURCH    IN    GEORGE- 
TOWN  (NOW   THE   CONGREGATIONAL   CHURCH). 

THE  Methodist  Protestant  Church  in  Georgetown 
had  its  origin  in  a  small  schism  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  commencing  about  1818,  in  the 
New  York  Conference. 

Among  the  ministers  who  seceded  from  the  church 
at  this  time  was  the  Rev.  William  M.  Stillwell,  who, 
in  1820,  organized  a  small  class  of  persons  in  George- 
town, sharers  in  his  peculiar  ideas  of  church  polity, 
but  who  still  retained  the  name  of  Methodist,  though 
called  by  their  opponents  Stillwellites.  In  1829  a 
convention  was  held  and  adopted  the  name  of  Meth- 
odist Protestant,  and  in  1839  the  church  at  George- 
t<  >wn  was  formally  organized  as  the  Methodist  Prot- 
estant  Church  and  Society,  of  Wilton  Circuit.  The 
first  members  of  the  class,  so  far  as  can  be  ascer- 
tained, were  Ebenezer  Hill,  Banks  Sherwood,  David 
Nichols,  Isaac  Osbome,  and  Benjamin  Gilbert  and 
wife.  The  first  minister  was  Rev.  William  M.  Still- 


134  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

well.     The  first  entry  in  the  church  records  is  as  fol- 
lows : 

"  The  first  Methodist  Protestant  church  in  Red- 
ding was  organized  in  the  year  of  onr  Lord  1839,  on 
the  15th  of  the  9th  month,  at  a  regular  warned  meet- 
ing held  at  the  house  of  Sturges  Bennett.  The  fol- 
lowing officers  were  chosen.  David  Nichols  chair- 
man, John  O.  St.  John,  secretary.  John  O.  St. 
John  was  duly  elected  clerk  of  said  society,  and  the 
oath  was  administered  by  Walker  Bates,  Esq.  John 
O.  St.  John  was  also  elected  Treasurer  of  said  so- 
ciety." 

Aaron  Osborne  was  the  first  sexton.  (He  was  to 
open  the  church  thirty  minutes  before  service,  sweep 
the  house,  make  the  fires,  and  attend  to  the  lights, 
for  a  yearly  salary  of  $6.00.) 

The  present  house  of  worship  had  been  built  in 
1839,  prior  to  the  organization  of  the  church,  by 
John  O.  St.  John  and  Charles  Scribner.  For  a  num- 
ber of  years  the  church  records  show  only  the  ordi- 
nary routine  of  business.  In  1851,  March  10th,  a 
society's  meeting  passed  the  following  resolutions  : 

"  Resolved,  1st :  That  we  take  into  consideration 
the  amount  of  Damage  sustained  by  the  society,  by 
the  Danbury  and  Norwalk  R.  R.  crossing  the  so- 
ciety's grounds  near  this  house  of  worship.  2nd  : 
That  the  assessment  of  damages  by  crossing  the  so- 
ciety's  grounds  be  left  to  three  men — one  chosen  by 
the  trustees,  one  by  the  Rail  Road  contractors,  and 
those  two  to  choose  a  third.  3rd  :  That  the  trustees 
be  instructed  to  hold  the  contractors  or  Rail  Road 
Company  responsible  for  all  damage  to  the  society's 
house  of  worship." 

To  these  resolutions  a  meeting  held  December  27th, 
1851,  added  the  following  : 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  135 

"  Resolved,  by  vote  of  this  meeting  that  the  so- 
ciety's committee  be  authorized  to  give  by  deed  to 
the  Danbury  and  Norwalk  Railroad  Company  a 
right  of  way  across  said  Society's  ground,  for  the 
consideration  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  Dollars."  At 
a  meeting  held  February  19th,  1858  :  "  On  motion 
S.  M.  Main  and  Hiram  St.  John,  .were  appointed  a 
committee  to  circulate  a  subscription  to  raise  money 
to  build  a  parsonage  house."  A  meeting  held  No- 
vember 17th,  1853,  voted  :  "  that  the  society's  com- 
mittee be  authorized  to  circulate  a  subscription 
paper,  to  raise  money  to  the  amount  of  six  hundred 
dollars  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  Mr.  Weed's 
house  for  a  parsonage  ;  and  at  a  subsequent  meeting- 
held  November  26th,  the  committee  were  authorized 
to  purchase  Mr.  Weed's  house  so  soon  as  six  hun- 
dred dollars  is  pledged  for  that  purpose."  It  was 
also  voted  that  the  "horse  sheds  be  located  40  feet 
south  of  the  butternut  tree  in  the  yard,  provided  the 
ground  can  be  obtained  for  one  dollar.'1 

At  a  meeting  held  December  7th,  1867,  Messrs. 
John  R.  Sturges,  J.  O.  St.  John,  and  Sturges  Ben- 
nett were  appointed  a  committee  to  ascertain  the  de- 
nominational preferences  of  all  the  members  of  the 
church,  "  with  a  view  to  a  change  of  name  to  that  of 
Congregational,  or  that  of  letting  it  be  the  Method- 
ist Protestant  Meeting." 

This  committee  reported  to  an  adjourned  meeting, 
held  December  14th,  in  favor  of  a  change  of  name, 
and  by  a  unanimous  vote  the  name  of  the  church  was 
changed  from  Methodist  Protestant  to  Congrega- 
tional. It  was  also  voted  to  petition  the  next  legis- 
lature to  change  the  name  of  the  society  in  accord- 


136  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

ance  with  the  above  vote,  and  to  secure  to  the  Con- 
gregational Society  the  property  now  held  by  the 
Methodist  Protestant  Society.  The  committee  ap- 
pointed for  this  purpose  were  Messrs.  David  E. 
Smith,  Hiram  St.  John,  and  E.  G.  Bennett.  From 
October,  1865,  to  May,  1875,  the  church  was  sup- 
plied by  Rev.  Samuel  St.  John,  of  Georgetown. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Albert  H.  Thompson, 
of  Yale  Theological  Seminary,  who  supplied  the 
pulpit  until  November,  1876.  Mr.  Thompson's  suc- 
cessor was  Rev.  C.  B.  Strong,  of  Hartford  Seminary, 
who  remained  until  the  close  of  1877.  The  present 
pastor,  Rer.  C.  A.  Northrop,  began  his  labors  with 
the  church  January  6th,  1878,  and  was  ordained  and 
installed  as  pastor  October  2d,  1878. 

The    present    membership  of  the   church  is   79. 
Males,  30  ;  females,  49. 

The  records  of  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church 
give  no  data  of  the  settlement  or  dismissal  of  pas- 
tors. From  old  members  of  the  church,  hoAvevrer,  I 
gain  the  following  names  of  those  who  served  the 
church  in  this  capacity.  The  list  is  probabljr  com- 
plete, though  the  names  are  not  given  in  the  order 
of  succession.  They  were :  William  M.  Stillwell, 
Stephen  Treadwell,  Abram  Glasgow,  Stephen  Rem 
ington,  -  -  Shemeall,  -  Yredenburgh,  James 
Summerbell,  Aaron  G.  Brewer,  Richard  K.  Diossy, 
James  Rolliston,  William  McCutcheon,  William  H. 
Bosely,  William  Cliff,  Samuel  M.  Henderson,  Jacob 
Timberman,—  -  Wade,  Elizur  W.  Griswold,  Menvin 
Lent,  William  H.  Johnson,  John  L.  Ambler,  Joseph 
J.  Smith,  Joshua  Hudson,  Thomas  K.  Witsel,  John 
H.  Painter,  M.  E.  Rude,  AVilliam  C.  Clarke. 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  137 

CHAPTER  X. 

HISTORY    OF    SCHOOLS. 

WE  have  before  spoken  of  the  care  of  our  Puritan 
ancestors  to  provide  for  the  church  and  the  ministry 
in  their  infant  settlements.  They  were  equally  care- 
ful to  furnish  them  with  the  school  and  the  teacher. 
If  piety  was  one  of  the  pillars  of  Democracy,  so 
also  was  intelligence ;  and  church  and  school  were 
alike  deemed  indispensable  to  the  growth  and 
security  of  the  state  :  hence  we  find  the  pioneers  of 
Redding  making  early  provision  for  the  establish- 
ment of  schools  among  them.  The  first  recorded 
movement  of  the  parish  in  the  matter  was  in  1737, 
when,  at  a  parish  meeting  held  December  26th,  1737, 
it  was  voted  to  have  a  parish  school,  and  to  maintain 
said  school  by  a  parish  rate.  John  Read,  Joseph 
Lee,  Joseph  Sanford,  John  Hull,  Nathan  Lion,  Ste- 
phen Morehouse,  and  Daniel  Lion  were  the  first 
school  committee.  The  meeting  also  voted  :  "that 
said  school  be  divided  into  three  parts,  that  is  to 
say,  five  months  in  that  quarter  called  the  Ridge, 
and  five  months  on  the  west  side  of  the  parish  near 
the  mill,  and  two  months  at  Lonetown,  understand- 
ing that  the  centre  of  division  is  the  meeting-house, 
and  that  Stephen  Burr  belongs  to  the  west  side.'1 

These  were  the  original  school  districts  of  the 
town  :  in  them  the  first  rude  school-houses  were 
erected,  and  from  the  one  to  the  other  went  the 
peripatetic  school-master  as  his  duties  called  him. 
These  school-houses  were  built  of  logs  :  their  furni- 


138  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

ture  was  of  the  most  meagre  description,  consisting 
of  a  sloping  desk  of  boards  affixed  to  the  wall  and 
extending  around  three  sides  of  the  building, 
benches  of  rough-hewn  plank,  and  a  planed  pine 
board  whereon  the  student  ' '  figgered ' '  with  bits  of 
charcoal.  Nor  was  the  curriculum  of  the  schools 
much  more  extensive.  Reading,  writing,  and  arith- 
metic were  all  that  was  then  thought  necessary  for 
the  country  boy  to  know  ;  further  knowledge  was 
to  be  acquired  in  schools  of  a  higher  grade. 

As  years  passed  on,  and  new  families  moved  into 
the  place,  the  districts  became  strong  enough  each 
to  support  its  own  school. 

Hence  we  find  a  parish  meeting  held  December 
10th,  1742,  voting  :  "  that  the  interest  of  the  school 
money  belonging  to  the  parish  shall  be  divided  into 
three  equal  parts  for  the  year  ensuing,  for  the  main- 
taining of  three  separate  schools  (each  to  be  kept  by 
a  master,)  one  third  part  of  the  money  for  that  part 
of  the  Parish  east  of  Little  Elver,  one  third  part  for 
that  part  of  the  Parish  between  Little  River  and  the 
Saugatuck  River,  and  one  third  for  that  part  west 
of  the  Saugatuck.  Provided,  that  each  part  of  the 
Parish  as  above  divided,  keep  a  school  as  abovesaid 
three  months  in  the  year  ensuing,  but  if  any  part  of 
the  Parish  fail  in  keeping  a  school  as  abovesaid,  the 
other  two  parts  that  keep  said  school,  shall  equally 
divide  the  said  money  between  them,  and  if  two 
parts  of  the  Parish  fail  in  keeping  a  school  as  above- 
said,  that  part  of  the  Parish  that  shall  keep  said 
school  the  three  months,  shall  draw  the  whole  of  the 
school  money."'  The  same  districts  are  defined  in 
the  appropriation  of  the  school  money  in  1748  as 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  130 

being  "  the  school  on  the  West  side  of  Aspetuck 
River,  the  school  by  Mill  River  (Sangatuck)  and  the 
school  by  the  Church." 

In  1745  the  appropriation  was  made  to  the  same 
districts,  with  the  provision  that  each  should.  "  keep 
a  school  with  a  school  master  sufficiently  capable  to 
learn  children  to  Wright  and  Reade." 

There  seems  to  have  been  no  change  in  this  re- 
spect until  1764,  when  it  was  voted  :  "  that  the 
school  money  should  be  subdivided  according  to 
the  lists  within  such  subdivisions/''  In  1768  the 
bounds  of  the  districts  were  first  set  out  by  a  com- 
mittee appointed  at  town  meeting  for  the  purpose. 
This  first  committee  consisted  of  Stephen  Mead, 
Daniel  Hill,  and  Daniel  Sanford.  The  school  com- 
mittee for  this  year,  appointed  at  town  meeting,  con- 
sisted of  seven,  and  it  is  probable  that  each  repre- 
sented a  district — which  would  give  us  seven  dis- 
tricts in  the  town  at  that  time. 

December  19th,  1792,  the  following  important  vote 
was  taken  :  ' '  that  the  School  money  shall  be  lodged 
with  the  Treasurer,  and  he  to  collect  the  interest 
arising  on  the  School  bonds  annually  by  the  first 
day  of  April,  the  Interest  already  arisen  and  unpaid 
to  be  collected  forthwith,  and  in  failure  of  pay- 
ment of  back  interest,  he  to  send  the  bond,  or 
bonds,  and  collect  principal  and  interest,  and  to  con- 
duct in  the  same  manner  on  neglect  of  annual  pay- 
ment of  interest  on  said  Bonds,  and  to  pay  said  In- 
terest and  School  Money  to  the  School  Committee 
as  it  may  be  appropriated  by  the  committee  of  the 
Districts  annually."' 


140  HISTORY  OF  RED  U  ING. 

As  to  the  source  or  origin  of  these  school  bonds, 
or  by  whom  taken,  I  am  unable  to  give  a  positive 
answer.  The  town  of  Redding  has  a  school  fund  of 
$400,  distinct  from  the  State  fund,  and  which  dates 
back  to  a  period  beyond  the  reach  of  memory  or 
tradition  ;  it  is  more  than  probable,  however,  that  it 
was  the  sum  realized  from  the  sale  of  lands  in  Litch- 
iield  County  in  1733,  called  western  lands,  and 
which  was  divided  among  the  several  towns  in  pro- 
portion to  their  poll  list  and  ratable  estate  for  that 
year  and  to  be  secured  and  forever  improved  for  the 
use  of  the  schools  kept  in  said  towns  according  to 
law.  Redding,  unlike  most  of  her  sister  towns,  has 
preserved  this  fund  inviolate,  and  still  uses  its  pro- 
ceeds in  support  of  her  schools.  In  1795  came  the 
sale  of  the  Western  Reserve,  and  Connecticut's  mu- 
nificent grant  to  her  common  schools,  whicli  has  put- 
t-hem in  the  front  rank  of  educational  forces,  and 
contributed  so  much  to  the  material  prosperity  of 
the  State.  In  October  of  that  year  the  inhabitants 
of  Redding  met,  and  formed  themselves  into  a 
school  society,  in  order  that  they  "  might,  have  the 
advantage  of  the  monies  arising  from  the  sale  of 
western  lands."  Peter  Sanford,  James  Rogers,  and 
Simeon  Hunger  were  the  first  committee  chosen  by 
this  society.  Prior  to  1870,  the  cost  of  supporting 
the  schools  above  that  derived  from  the  school 
funds  was  borne  by  the  parents  or  guardians  of  the 
scholars,  but  in  that  year  the  legislature  passed  a 
law  compelling  the  towns  to  maintain  free  schools, 
and  this  plan  has  since  been  pursued.  The  town 
appropriation  for  schools  this  year,  1879,  is  $2500  ; 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 


141 


before    1879,  it  was  $3000.     The  income  from  tlie 
School  Fund  is  $936.40. 

There  are  at  present  ten  school  districts  in  the 
town,  and  three  half  districts,  named  and  numbered 
as  follows  : 


Name. 


No.  of  Children  enu- 
merated in  187!). 

District  No.    1 Centre CO 

2 Ridere 48 

;j Couch's  Hill 15 

4 Diamond  Hill 17 

5 Boston  54 

0 Hull 20 

7 Umpawaug 51 

8 Lonetown 29 

9 Picket's  Ridge 9 

10 Foundry 23 

11 half  district,  Georgetown 40 

12 Florida 46 

13...  "  Rock  House.  .  ,     5 


The  total  number  of  children  enumerated  was 
387.  The  whole  number  who  attended  school  was 
406. 

Messrs.  Arthur  Hill,  William  R.  Duncomb,  and 
Rev.  X.  A.  Welton  comprise  the  present  Board  of 
Education  for  the  town.  William  E.  Duncomb 
and  Rev.  X.  A.  Welton  are  the  acting  School  Vis- 
itors. 

From  an  early  period  Redding  has  been  favora- 
bly known  for  the  number  and  excellence  of  her 
select  schools  ;  some  of  these  were  conducted  by  the 
pastors  of  the  different  churches,  and  others  by  pro- 
fessional teachers.  One  of  the  earliest  of  these 
schools  was  that  kept  by  S.  Samuel  Smith,  Esq.,  in 
the  centre.  The  Rev.  Jonathan  Bartlett  opened  a 
school  for  boys  and  young  men  about  1795,  that  at- 


14*2  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

tained  a  high  reputation  and  flourished  for  a  term 
of  years  ;  his  school  was  kept  in  his  dwelling- 
house— now  the  residence  of  Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford. 
The  first  boarding-school  in  town  was  opened  by  Mr. 
Walker  Bates  about  1825.  Mr.  Bates  was  a  pupil 
of  Mr.  Bartletf  s,  and  a  very  successful  teacher.  A 
few  years  after,  Mr.  Eli  Gilbert  opened  a  select 
school  at  the  centre,  which  continued  in  successful 
operation  for  a  term  of  years;  and  in  1836  two 
schools  were  established  on  Redding  Ridge — one 
by  Mr.  John  Osborne,  the  other  by  Mr.  Aaron  B. 
Wilson. 

One  of  the  most  noteworthy  schools  of  the  town 
was  the  Redding  Institute,  founded  by  Daniel  San- 
ford,  A.M.,  in  the  fall  of  1847.  Mr.  Sanford,  after- 
receiving  a  thorough  education,  and  spending  some 
years  as  a  teacher  at  White  Plains,  !N~.  Y.,  returned 
to  Redding  and  built  the  large  and  wTell-appointed 
school-house  adjoining  his  dwelling.  His  school 
from  a  small  and  feeble  beginning  grew  to  be  large 
and  flourishing,  containing  at  one  time  forty  schol- 
ars, most  of  them  sons  of  prominent  New  York  and 
Brooklyn  families.  In  1851  he  secured  the  services 
of  Mr.  Edward  P.  Shaw,  a  graduate  of  Wesley  an 
University,  who  continued  with  him  as  a  teacher  un- 
til 1867,  when  Mr.  Sanford  retired,  and  Mr.  Shaw 
became  principal  and  conducted  the  school  success- 
fully until  1873,  when,  owing  to  a  family  bereave- 
ment, he  was  obliged  to  discontinue  it. 

The  boarding-school  opened  by  Mr.  Burton  Brad- 
ley about  1850,  and  Miss  Polly  Sellick's  boarding- 
school  for  young  ladies,  founded  in  1844,  were'suc- 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  143 

cessfnl  and  well-conducted  institutions.  The  only 
select  school  at  present  existing  in  the  town  is  the 
Misses  Sanford's  school  for  young  children. 

In  1878  Rev.  Aaron  S.  Sanford,  of  New  Haven, 
donated  the  sum  of  five  thousand  dollars  for  the  en- 
dowment of  a  High  School.  This  munificent  gift 
was  accepted  by  the  people  of  the  town,  and  the 
Hill  Academy  was  incorporated  under  the  laws  of 
the  State.  The  trustees  of  the  institution  are  seven 
in  number,  viz.,  Francis  A.  Sanford,  Aaron  Tread- 
well,  John  Todd,  X.  Alanson  Welton,  Stephen 
Sanford,  Thaddeus  M.  Abbott,  and  Arthur  B. 
Hill. 

The  officers  of  the  corporation  are  :  President, 
Francis  A.  Sanford  ;  Vice-President,  T.  M.  Abbott ; 
Secretary,  Arthur  B.  Hill ;  Treasurer,  Aaron  Tread- 
well  ;  Auditor,  Stephen  Sanford.  The  first  princi- 
pal of  the  academy  was  Mr.  T.  M.  W.  George,  of 
Hartford,  who  closed  his  first  year's  labor  July  1st. 
1879. 


CHAPTER  XL 

M  A  X  I!  F  A  C  T  IT  RES. 

Ix  1793,  under  a  State  law,  a  specific  tax  was 
laid  on  the  various  trades  and  professions,  and 
from  the  grand  list  of  that  year  we  may  gather 
accurate  knowledge  of  the  number  of  tradesmen, 
artisans,  and  professional  men  in  the  town  at  that- 
time. 


144  HIS  WHY  OF  REDDIXG. 

The  following  table  is  prepared  from  this  list : 


TRADE  OR  PROFESSION. 

TAX.             TRADE  OR  PROFESSION. 

TAX. 

ATTORNEYS. 

BLACKSMITHS. 

*g0     Aaron  Barlow  

5 

5 

'  5 
5 
5 

15 
1.1 

i  a 

15 

8 

6 
4 
5 

4 
4 
0 

4 

10 

50     Tliaddeus  Abbott  

PHYSICIANS. 

Thomas  Davies  

Enoch  Merchant  

WEAVERS. 

Thomas  Peck  

IU 
SADDLER. 

Edward  Starr         

TRADERS. 

James  Rogers  

p'2      TANNERS     AND    SHOEMAKERS. 

25     Asahel  Salmon  

Benj   Sanford  &  Co    

Stephen  Belts  &  Co     

William  Heron 

Ezekiel  Jackson  &  Co  

25 

25                    TAVERN-KEEPERS. 
Stephen  Belts     

Abijah  Parsons     

TAILORS. 

K/t'kiel  S&nford  

Joel  Byin°rton 

5     Abel  Burr  

CLOTHIER. 

GRIST-MILLS. 

5     Ephraim  Wheeler  

WHEELWRIGHT. 

Stephen     Burr     and      Daniel 
Perry     

Seth  Meeker  &  Co  

5     Crawford  &  Sanford  

COOPER. 

Stephen  Gray  

SAW-MILLS. 

5     Stephen  &  John  Fairchild  
i  (liver  San  ford  

JOINERS. 

Eli  Lyon  

Barlow  &  San  ford   

Enos  &  Seth  Wheeler  

IRON-WORKS. 

"  ; 

5     Oliver  Sanford.     .  .       .   . 

Stephen  Lyon  

Daniel  Perry  

Prom  this  date  down  to  1850  the  town  made  a 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  145 

very  creditable  advance  in  manufactures.  The  iron 
smelting  works  of  Oliver  Sanford  in  Sanfordtown 
were  one  of  its  earliest  and  most  prominent  indus- 
tries. Ore  was  brought  from  Brookfield  and  Rox- 
bury  in  great  wagons  and  smelted  at  the  mills,  and 
after  smelting  was  conveyed  in  the  same  manner 
to  Westport  or  Norwalk,  and  shipped  to  various 
points.  This  enterprise  was  the  pioneer  of  its  kind 
in  America,  and  proved  quite  profitable  to  its  pro- 
jector. The  works  were  entirely  destroyed  in  the 
great  freshet  of  IvSOo,  and  never  afterward  rebuilt, 
the  business  being  removed  to  Valley  Forge.  Full- 
ing-mills were  early  erected,  the  first,  probably, 
by  Abraham  Fairchild  about  1742,  near  Nobb's 
Crook,  on  the  Saugatuck  River.  The  first  wool- 
len-mill was  erected  in  1812,  near  the  site  of  the 
old  fulling-mill,  by  Comstock,  Foster  &  Co.  It 
did  a  prosperous  business  through  the  war  and  for 
some  years  afterward.  It  was  later  bought  by  Mr. 
Joel  Foster,  one  of  the  members  of  the  old  company, 
who  continued  the  business  until  the  burning  of  the 
factory  in  1843,  or  1844.  Carriages  began  to  he 
built  in  Sanfordtown  as  early  as  1800,  and  the  busi- 
ness soon  became  one  of  the  leading  industries  of 
the  town.  Ephraim  Sanford  built  the  first  carriage 
factory  in  the  rear  of  the  house  on  the  corner  now 
owned  by  Mr.  Bradley  Tread  well,  lie  was  succeeded 
in  1820  by  his  two  sons  David  and  Enoch  A.  San- 
ford.  David  Sanford  died  in  1834,  and  the  business 
was  continued  by  Enoch  A.  Sanford,  the  surviving 
partner.  A  few  years  after,  Daniel  Sanford  was  ad- 
mitted a  partner,  and  the  firm  entered  largely  into 
the  Southern  trade.  In  this  they  proved  unfortu- 
11 


140  HISTORY  OF 

nate,  and  failed.  Subsequently  Mr.  E.  A.  Sauford 
formed  a  partnership  with  Charles  Duncomb,  and 
later  with  G.  A.  Sanford,  by  whom  the  business  was 
conducted  with  varying  success.  In  its  palmiest 
days  this  firm  did  a  large  business,  employing  from 
twenty -five  to  thirty  men,  and  maintaining  a  depot 
for  their  goods  in  New  York.  Mr..  Aaron  Bar-tram 
built  a  carriage  factory  in  1840  (now  standing),  and 
in  company  with  Mr.  Eben  "Wilson  did  a  large  busi- 
ness for  a  term  of  years.  Mr.  Bradley  Sanford  be- 
gan the  manufacture  of  carriage  axles  in  Sanford- 
town  in  1833,  and  continued  it  until  1838,  when  he 
was  succeeded  by  Mr.  G.  A.  Sanford. 

Hat -making  was  at  one  time  a  prominent  indus- 
try in  Redding.  To  Mr.  Billy  Comstock  is  due  the 
credit  of  erecting  the  first  hat  manufactory,  which 
stood  near  his  house  in  the  Boston  district.  Mr. 
Daniel  Gould  had  a  large  hat  shop  in  Lonetown,  and 
later  Mr.  Jesse  Banks  carried  on  the  business  some- 
what extensively  in  Sanford  town.  He  employed  at 
one  time  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  men,  and  sup- 
plied the  Southern  and  West  India  market.  Mr. 
Milo  Lee  also  carried  on  the  business  for  a  number 
of  years,  first  with  Mr.  Banks,  and  afterward  in  a  fac- 
tory near  his  house.  Bricks  were  made  at  one  time 
by  Mr.  Alanson  Lyon,  on  Redding  Ridge  ;  and  in  the 
same  district  a  large  shirt  manufactory  was  once  in 
successful  operation,  under  the  management  of  Mr. 
Curtis  Fanton,  and  his  son,  Henry  Fanton.  In  18.">(» 
the  Redding  Manufacturing  Company  was  organized 
in  Sanfordtown  for  the  manufacture  of  pins,  and 
other  small  articles  in  brass.  The  large  building  in 
Sanfordtown  still  known  as  the  pin  factory  was 


HISTORY  0*   REDDING.  147 

built  by  this  company  ;  for  a  time  its  prospects  for 
a  successful  career  were  excellent,  but  owing  to  some 
mismanagement  on  the  part  of  the  directors,  it  soon 
proved  a  failure. 

The  Hill  Limekiln  in  Lonetown  is  perhaps  the 
oldest  lime-burning  establishment  in  the  State.  It 
was  probably  opened  at  an  early  day  by  Colonel 
John  Read,  who  was  the  owner  of  the  tract  of  land 
in  which  the  quarry  is  situated. 

In  1810  it  came  into  the  possession  of  John  R. 
Hill,  a  grandson  of  Colonel  Read,  who  conducted  an 
extensive  business  and  acquired  a  fortune.  Mr. 
Hill  retired  in  1823,  and  was  succeeded  at  different 
period  by  his  sons  Aaron  S.  Hill,  Moses  Hill,  Wil- 
liam Hill,  and  John  L.  Hill.  These  gentlemen  con- 
ducted the  business  with  the  same  energy  and  suc- 
cess that  had  characterized  their  father's  manage- 
ment. Since  Mr.  John  L.  Hill's  retirement,  the  bus- 
iness has  been  conducted,  successively,  by  Messrs. 
Ames  &  Osborne,  Barnes,  Smith,  and  Philo  Wood. 

In  1842  Squire  James  Sanford  built  a  foundry  on 
the  Aspetuck  River  in  the  Foundry  district,  and  en- 
tered largely  into  the  manufacture  of  agricultural 
implements.  He  had  before  invented  an  improved 
hay-cutting  machine,  in  which  the  cutting  was  done 
by  revolving  cylinders  furnished  with  knives,  which 
he  manufactured  here,  and  which  had  an  extensive 
sale  throughout  the  country.  This  foundry  is  al- 
most the  only  one  of  the  old-time  industries  of  Red- 
ding that  remains  in  successful  operation  to  this  day. 

The  Aspetuck  River,  dashing  through  a  gorge  in 
this  district,  furnishes  abundant  water-power,  and 
this  the  skill  and  energy  of  the  Sanford  brothers  has 


148  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

utilized  in  the  manufacture  of  buttons.  Their  three 
button  factories  have  a  capacity  of  between  three 
and  four  hundred  gross  of  buttons  per  day,  employ 
twenty-eight  hands,  and  have  made  this  district  one 
of  the  busiest  and  most  prosperous  localities  in  the 
town. 

The  pleasant  village  of  Georgetown,  in  the  western 
part  of  Redding,  owes  its  existence  largely  to  the 
establishment  in  its  midst  of  the  Gilbert  &  Bennett 
Manufacturing  Company's  works.  This  firm  is 
largely  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  sieves,  iron 
wire,  wire  c.loth,  galvanized  wire  netting,  ash  sieves, 
and  cheese  and  meat  safes.  They  have  a  warehouse 
in  New  York,  and  at  present  employ  a  force  of  one 
hundred  men.  Until  1877  they  were  also  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  glue  and  curled  hair,  but  nt 
that  time  this  part  of  their  business  was  purchased 
by  the  J.  P.  Gage  Manufacturing  Company,  of  New 
York,  who  still  continue  the  business,  having  added 
to  it  the  manufacture  of  sand  paper.  The  origin  of 
the  Gilbert  &  Bennett  Manf.  Co.  dates  from  the  year 
1818,  when  Benjamin  Gilbert  commenced  the  manu- 
facture of  sieves  and  curled  hair.  Afterward,  his 
sons,  Sturges  Bennett,  and  E.  O.  Hurlbut  formed  a 
co-partnership  under  the  name  of  Gilbert,  Bennett  & 
Co.,  for  the  manufacture  of  the  above-named  arti- 
cles, including  glue.  In  1874  a  fire  destroyed  the 
main  factory,  together  with  a  large  amount  of  manu- 
factured stock  and  machinery,  causing  a  loss  of  over 
$100,000. 

After  the  fire  the  concern  was  incorporated  under 
the  name  of  the  Gilbert  &  Bennett  Manufacturing 
Co.,  with  Sturges  Bennett  as  president,  David  H. 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  149 

Miller,  secretary,  and  W.  W.  Beers  as  treasurer. 
The  works  before  the  fire  employed  a  force  of  125 
men,  and  its  manufactured  products  amounted  to 
$500,000  annually. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

A  FAVORITE  dish  with  the  Latin  nations  is  the 
olla  podrida — a  thing  of  shreds  and  patches,  com- 
posed of  odds  and  ends  of  the  larder  that  could  be 
utilized  in  no  other  way.  This  chapter  is  intended 
as  a  sort  of  mental  olla  podrida,  and  we  have  no 
doubt  will  prove  as  varied,  if  not  as  savory,  as  the 
dish  above  described.  For  our  first  ingredients  we 
insert  some  quaint  and  curious  extracts  from  the 
town  records  as  follows  : 

January  2d,  1778.  It  was  voted,  "  that  the 
selectmen  provide  a  Spade,  Pick  Axe,  and  Hoe  to  be 
kept  for  the  use  of  digging  graves."  August  11, 
1783,  "  Voted,  that  the  town  wrill  set  up  a  singing 
meeting.  Voted  to  lay  a  tax  of  Id.  on  a  pound  to 
pay  the  Singing  Master."  March  13,  1787,  "  Voted 
not  to  admit  Small  Pox  by  innoculation  :  Voted  to 
admit  Small  Pox  by  Innoeulation  next  fall."  Octo- 
ber 19th,  1795  :  ' '  Voted  that  the  select  men  prosecute 
those  persons  that  cut  timber  on  the  highways." 
September  19th,  1798:  "Voted  that  the  district  to 
which  Silas  Merchant  belongs,  shall  pay  him  $2  for 
his  dragg."  In  1801  the  town  voted  to  relin- 


150  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

quish  to  Enoch  Merchant  the  fine  imposed  on 
him  by  William  Heron,  Esq.,  for  "admitting  pup- 
pet shows  into  his  house  contrary  to  law."  De- 
cember 20th,  1802,  John  Read,  Jr.,  was  "  ex- 
cused" for  admitting  puppet  shows  into  his  house, 
"  on  said  Read's  paying  the  costs."  In  1804  it  was 
voted,  "  that  this  town  will  not  remit  to  Ebenezer 
Robinson  of  Danbuiy,  the  fine  imposed  on  him  by 
William  Heron  Esq.  for  breaking  the  Sabbath, 
which  fine  is  now  uncollected."  The  same  year 
Aaron  Read  was  appointed  "  Keeper  of  the  Key  r<> 
the  Town  House."  In  1807,  it  was  voted  to  remit 
the  fines — $1.67  in  amount — of  Peter  Bradley,  and 
Nancy  his  wife,  for  Sabbath-breaking :  also  voted, 
that  'William  Heron  Esq.  be  paid  Si  1.08,  amount 
of  costs  in  defending  a  suit  brought  by  William  P. 
Jones  against  him,  for  a  fine  collected  and  paid  into 
the  treasury  of  the  town.  In  1808,  voted  that  the 
town  will  remit  the  fines  of  all  those  persons  who 
labored  on  the  Sabbath  the  31st  of  July  last  past, 
in  this  town,  on  payment  of  costs.  In  1817,  Daniel 
Sanford  and  Aaron  Burr  were  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  procure  the  fish  called  pike,  and  put  in 
Umpawaug  Pond.  In  1840  it  was  voted,  that  if 
any  non-resident  should  kill  birds  within  the  limits 
of  the  town  he  should  be  fined  and  if  he  killed  rob- 
ins, except  in  case  of  sickness,  he  should  be  fined 
$5. 

In  the  records  of  a  town  meeting  held  December 
8th,  1806,  occurs  the  following  curious  entry : 
"  Voted,  that  S.  Samuel  Smith,  Lemuel  Sanford,  and 
Benjamin  Meeker  be  a  committee  to  write  to  Wil- 
liam Crawford  requesting  him  to  name  the  person 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  151 

belonging  to  Redding  to  whom  he  delivered  Mrs. 
Sarah  Fleming's  letter  in  May  last,  notifying  him 
that  in  case  of  refusal,  the  Inhabitants  of  this  town, 
will  feel  themselves  authorized  to  declare  to  the 
world,  that  he  never  did  deliver  such  a  letter  to  any 
person  belonging  to  Redding." 

Conversing  with  an  aged  citizen  of  Redding  on 
the  generous  and  confiding  nature  of  our  towns-peo- 
ple, he  substantiated  the  fact  by  a  list  of  the  public 
enterprises  which  they  had  aided  at  different  times, 
with  the  amount  contributed  to  each,  as  follows  : 

Kujrle  Bank,  New  Haven $G,000 

Virginia  Land  Company 8,000 

Michigan  Land  Company 20,000 

Bethel  Bank 40,000 

Midland  Railroad 20,000 


Making  a  total  of $94,000 

The  above  in  round  numbers.  He  is  quite  sure 
that  there  have  been  enough  minor  enterprises  aided 
to  swell  the  grand  total  to  $100,000. 

Isaac  Hilliard  was  a  poet  of  considerable  local  ce- 
lebrity whom  Redding  had  the  honor  of  producing, 
but  at  this  late  day  I  am  able  to  collect  but  few 
facts  and  anecdotes  concerning  him,  and  most  of 
these  are  gathered  from  the  Federal  journals,  who 
were  his  traducers,  owing  to  the  fact  that  Mr.  Hil- 
liard, like  a  true  poet,  had  espoused  the  cause  of  the 
people  and  was  a  Whig.  The  New  England  Repub- 
lican of  August  29th,  1804,  has  this  to  say  concern- 
ing him  : 


132  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

"  FORLORN  HOPE. 

"  ISAAC  HILLIARD,  a  wretched  vagabond,  originally 
of  Reading,  in  Fairfield  County,  lias  lately  published 
a  large  pamphlet,  in  which  he  warmly  advocates  the 
cause  of  democracy.  To  criticise  such  a  work,  one 
must  sink  himself  to  a  level  with  the  author  :  that 
is,  he  must  become  an  idiot,  or  a  lunatic,  or  a  brute. 
The  composition  is  just  about  on  a  level  with  Peter 
St.  John's  poetry.  The  pitiable  but  wrong-headed 
writer  is  now  busied  in  hawking  his  pamphlets 
about  the  streets.  He  presents  them  to  every  man 
whom  he  is  not  afraid  to  insult,  and  tells  those  to 
whom  he  delivers  them,  to  pay  him  twenty-five  cents 
each,  if  they  like  the  work  ;  otherwise  to  return  it. 
Never  was  a  man  better  fitted  to  any  cause  than  Mil- 
liard to  democracy  ;  and  never  was  a  cause  better 
adapted  to  the  man  engaged  in  it  than  democracy  to 
Hilliard." 

The  pamphlet  referred  to  above,  entitled  the 
"  Rights  of  Suffrage,"  and  also  Mr.  Hilliard's  chief 
poem,  "The  Federal  Pye,"  the  writer  has  been  so 
fortunate  as  to  procure.  They  are  included  in  a 
pamphlet  of  some  seventy  pages,  printed  at  Dan- 
bury  in  1804. 

A  brief  examination  of  the  first-named  work 
would  force  one  to  conclude  that,  however  brilliant 
a  poet  Mr.  Hilliard  may  have  been,  he  was  not  a 
master  of  prose.  His  nouns,  adjectives,  nominatives, 
and  verbs  are  so  commingled,  that  it  is  difficult  to 
separate  them  ;  but  in  his  preface  Mr.  Hilliard  ob- 
serves that  he  has  written  for  persons  of  limited  ed- 
ucation, and  had  not  therefore  adopted  a  lofty  and 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  153 

flourishing  style  —  a  fact  which  explains,  perhaps, 
the  somewhat  ungrammatical  construction  of  his  sen- 
tences. An  extract  from  his  poem  "  The  Federal 
Pye"  we  will  submit  for  the  criticism  of  the  reader. 
At  a  Federal  "  caucus"  one  Holdfast,  a  Federalist, 
arises  and  opens  the  proceedings  with  the  following- 
seech  : 


1  know  you  see  my  tears, 
The  strong  expression  of  my  fears. 
There's  no  one  here  that  is  a  stranger  — 
Then  every  one  must  know  our  danger. 
Poor  people  all  begin  to  see 
Their  rights  are  gone,  they  are  not  free  ; 
Some  wicked  men  espouse  their  cause, 
And  say  they're  lost  by  cruel  laws. 
They  have  found  out,  as  sure  as  death, 
That  they  are  taxed  for  their  breath. 
I  am  very  sorry  that  our  youth 
Should  ever  find  out  so  much  truth  : 
The  poor  old  men  now  make  a  noise 
And  say  we  tax  all  their  poor  boys. 
Somehow  or  other,  those  poor  souls 
Find  other  States  don't  tax  their  polls. 
They  say  'tis  cruel,  and  a  sin 
To  pay  for  breath  which  they  breathe  in— 
And  now  they  all  set  up  this  note, 
If  they  pay  taxes  they  will  vote  : 
They  say  they've  found  what  we're  about  — 
We  taxed  their  polls  and  left  ours  out. 
That  faculties,  and  the  poll  tax, 
They  wish  were  under  the  French  axe, 
Together  with  all  those  that  like  'em, 
And  let  it  have  one  chance  to  strike  'em. 
Why,  they  might  just  as  well  have  said 
They  wished  all  Federal  rulers  dead. 
The  poor  will  rise  in  every  nation 
WThen  they  are  drove  to  desperation.7' 
Etc.,  etc. 


154  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

Redding  is  now  much  sought  after  by  invalids  for 
its  health-giving  properties,  but  it  has  been  occa- 
sionally visited  by  epidemics  of  a  fearful  character. 
Small-pox,  before  Dr.  Jenner's  discovery  of  inocu- 
lation, was  a  fearful  scourge,  and  news  of  its  appear- 
ance in  town  always  excited  the  wildest  apprehen- 
sion. The  roads  near  the  infected  spot  were  at  once 
fenced  up,  and  no  one  save  the  physician  and  nurse 
was  permitted  to  have  any  communication  with  the 
stricken  family.  If  the  disease  became  epidemic, 
pest-houses  were  erected  in  secluded  localities, 
whither  the  patients  were  removed.  Those  dying  of 
this  disease  were  placed  in  a  rude  coffin,  and  buried 
at  midnight,  the  clergyman  standing  at  a  safe  dis- 
tance and  reading  in  a  loud  voice  the  service  for  the 
dead.  An  epidemic  called  the  "camp  distemper" 
raged  in  the  town  in  1780 — the  year  succeeding  the 
encampment  here  of  Putnam's  division.  It  seems 
to  have  been  of  the  same  general  character  as  the 
dysentery,  but  from  the  fact  of  its  raging  more  vio- 
lently in  the  neighborhood  of  the  camps  was  called 
the  camp  distemper. 

A  severer  scourge  was  an  epidemic  that  visited  the 
town  about  1810,  and  which  displayed  many  of  the 
characteristics  of  Asiatic  cholera.  Strong  men  were 
stricken  down  by  it  in  a  day,  and  there  was  scarcely 
a  house  where  there  was  not  mourning  for  the  dead. 
In  one  school  district  alone,  Lonetown,  it  is  said 
that  twenty  died  of  this  disease.  The  victims  of 
this  scourge  were  interred  in  the  old  cemetery  near 
the  Congregational  Church.  They  were  buried 
hastily,  at  midnight,  and  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  Bart 
lett,  who  officiated  on  the  occasion,  stood  on  the 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  155 

ledge,  a  few  yards  south  of  the  church,  and  there 
read  the  burial  service,  in  tones  so  stentorian,  that 
they  Avere  heard  by  residents  on  Uinpawaug  Hill, 
fully  two  miles  distant. 

An  old  account-book  mildewed  and  mouldy,  its 
leaves  discolored  by  time,  and  its  writing  half  illegi- 
ble from  the  same  cause,  may  not  be  supposed  to 
furnish  very  interesting  reading  ;  yet  if  one  will  go 
through  its  pages  carefully,  he  may  cull  much  that 
is  both  instructive  and  entertaining. 

A  book  of  this  character,  130  years  old,  the  day- 
book and  ledger  of  a  former  merchant  of  the  town, 
furnishes  the  following  extracts  : 

Jar..  24,  1751.  ,Jeams  Hull  Dr. 

£.    s.  d. 

To  1  ink  horn  3  fi,  reckninor  3/ 0      6  6 

July  2.      To  2  qts.  rum  16/6,  1  do.  11/6 1      7  0 

"  13.      To  2  qts.  rum  22/,  the  sugar  G/,  rubston  3/6...  Ill  G 

"  22.      To  2  qts.  rum  22/ 1      2  0 

Sept.  24.  To  2  hanks  liar.  8/  rum,  2/6 0    10  G 

Dec.  3.      To  1  ax  55/,  1  pint  rum  2/6 3      1  0 

1752.          Tolicker4,9,  Ucker  1/6 0      6  3 

1750.  Daniel  Gould,  Dr. 

£.  .«.  d. 

Dec.  2.       To  making  clock 0  9  0 

1751.          Topnnch2/ 0  2  0 

May  1C.     To  17d  buckram  16  ,  24.'1  wodinor  16/ 1  12  0 

Aug.  22.     To  punch  6/,  rum  2/6 0  8  8 

Sept.  11.     To  1  qt.  wine  12/ 0  12  0 

There  is  also  credited  to  Mr.  Gold  : 

1  cow  waid  389  lb.,  @  1/9 25    18      8 

Robert  Sedey,  Dr. 

July  3,  1753.  To  Testament  25/,  2  trays  t2/, 
Oct.  22.  To  2  lb.  nails  14/,  1  comb  14/, 
.      To  parshon  15/,  to  10  Ibs.  hogs  fat  20/, 
To  i  brom  6/,  to  bunit  paper  3  ',  silk  6/. 


156  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

Other  entries  at  this  period  are  : 

1  oral,  molasses  at  19/,  %  bnsli.  salt  17/,  almonek  1/9,  Phlip  6/,  1 
pail  12/,  1  skimmer  3/0,  1  basket  9/,  14  yds.  Calocho  13/9,  1  tray  of 
pins  4/,  2  Ibs.  brimstone  12/,  To  paid  the  pedler  34/,  to  sundrys 
training  d^ay  25  6,  1  cake  soap  8/,  by  3  dear  skins  £28,  Os.  Od.,  4  bbls. 
£3,  ^  busfi.  ots  8/,  1  doz.  butius  6/,  To  poundeg.  of  slieep  8/,  1  hogs- 
hedSO/,  1  bankerchief  25/,  6 pipes  2/6,  To  writinprnote2/,  1  sickle23/, 
4  bl.  powder  11 /.  1  botle  3/,  8  sqr.  glass  40/,  90  Ibs.  pork  £9,  10s. 
J)d.,  1  pr.  cards  45/,  1  Ib.  Tobacco  4/,  17  busb.  rye  in  Boston  cleaned 
£11,  12s.  9d.,  1  oz.  Indigo  15/,  To  charge  of  writ  16/,  2  qts.  Methejr- 
linp;  20/,  1  beaver  bat  £13,  1  caster  bat  $8,  1  frying  pan  78  ',  $  Ib. 
allam  4/,  1  Spanish  dollar  64/,  1  pr.  gloves  23/,  1  cartwhip  5  ,  1  pr. 
nee-buckles  6/6,  4  Ib.  11  oz.  Tobacco  20/10,  3|  Ibs.  hay  sead  54/6,  1 
pr.  cart  wheels  £7,  10s. ,  1  grindston  50/,  1  Ib.  shot  3/6.  2.  vinegar 
cruses  20/,  1  mustard  pot  10/,  -J  quire  paper  7/ ,  1  Ib.  lead  4/,  pnundeg 
of  14  hogs  '£9/4,  2  qt.  basons  42/,  By  poundeg  of  Barlow's  hors  8/,  6 
tacks  1/6,  To  interest,  and  fall  of  money  6/,  flints  3/,  2  doz.  pewter 
buttons  7/,  35  bush,  wheat  in  Boston  cleaned  £55,  18s.,  3d.,  1  bbl. 
pork  in  Boston  £20,  1  hat  band  27. 

This  list  might  be  extended  indefinitely,  but 
enough  has  been  given  to  show  the  prices  of  articles 
in  general  use  at  that  day. 

A  Lodge  of  Free  Masons  was  once  in  active  oper- 
ation on  Redding  Ridge,  as  is  shown  by  the  follow- 
ing extract  from  the  records  of  the  Grand  Lodge  : 

"Oct.  19th,  179G.  A  petition  from  sundry  Free- 
masons residing  in  the  towns  of  Redding  and  A\V^ 
ton,  was  presented  to  the  Grand  Lorlge  of  Free- 
masons then  in  session  at  New  Haven,  praying  to 
be  formed  into  a  new  Lodge,  which  petition  was  laid 
over  until  the  next  session  of  the  Grand  Lodge.  At 
the  next  session  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  F.  &  A.  M. 
held  at  New  Haven  on  the  17th  May,  1797,  the  prayer 
of  the  petitioners  was  granted,  and  a  Lodge  formed 
under  the  name  of  Ark  Lodge  No.  39,  F.  &  A.  M. 
and  William  Heron  was  appointed  Master." 

At  the  October  session  1804,  of  the  Grand  Lodge, 
Lemuel  Sanford  represented  Ark  Lodge,  also  at  the 
May  Session  1808,  the  October  session  1808,  and  the 
May  Session,  1818. 


H [STORY  OF  REDDING.  157 

In  1823,  a  Lodge  was  built  by  the  Members  of 
Ark  Lodge  No.  39,  on  Redding  Ridge.  This  Lodge 
continued  its  labors  until  May  12th,  -1839,  when  it 
surrendered  its  charter  to  the  Grand  Lodge. 

On  the  23d  of  December,  1869,  the  charter  was 
again  taken  up  by  the  following  members  :  David 
H.  Miller,  Chas.  A.  Jennings,  Chas.  H.  Canfield, 
Lewis  Northrop,  Chas.  O.  Olmsted,  David  E. 
Smith,  H.  R.  Osborn,  E.  Thompson,  Aaron  H. 
Davis,  Luzon  Jelliff,  Seth  P.  Beers  and  Waterman 
Bates,  and  is  still  working,  its  present  Lodge  Room 
being  situated  in  Georgetown. 

A  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows  succeeded  that  of  the 
Free  Masons  on  Redding  Ridge,  but  only  continued 
in  active  operation  for  a  few  years. 

One  of  the  earliest  antislavery  societies  in  the 
State  was  organized  in  Georgetown,  in  December, 
1838.  Dr.  Erasmus  Hudson  and  Rev.  Nathaniel 
Colver  were  appointed  by  the  Connecticut  Anti- 
slavery  Society  agents  for  the  evangelization  of  the 
State,  and  in  October,  1838,  entered  Fairfield  County 
in  the  furtherance  of  their  mission.  They  lectured 
at  Sherman,  Danbury,  Redding,  GeorgetoAvn,  and 
Norwalk,  being  driven  from  each  place  in  succession 
by  mobs  who  abused  and  threatened,  and  in  some 
cases  stoned  them.  At  Norwalk  they  were  burnt  in 
effigy,  and  assailed  with  brickbats  and  all  manner  of 
missiles.  At  Weston  they  organized  the  first  society 
in  the  county.  In  November  a  call  was  issued  for  a 
convention  to  be  held  in  Redding  (Georgetown)  De- 
cember 12th,  1838.  On  the  29th  November,  Messrs. 
Colver  and  Hudson  went  to  Georgetown  to  hold 
meetings.  They  met  on  Monday  night  in  the  Bap- 


158  HISTORY  0*   REDDING. 

tist  church,  but  the  mob  was  so  violent  that  the 
meeting  was  adjourned  until  Tuesday  evening.  All 
through  Tuesday  there  was  great  commotion  among 
the  enemies  of  the  cause,  and  this  culminated  in  the 
evening,  when  a  mob  composed  of  men  and  boys, 
some  with  painted  faces  and  some  wearing  masks, 
surrounded  the  church,  and  assailed  it  with  stones, 
clubs,  and  hideous  outcries.  Being  dispersed  by  the 
citizens  the  band  betook  itself  to  quieter  forms  of  mis- 
chief. Dr.  Hudson  drove  to  the  meeting  a  beautiful 
milk-white  horse,  and  on  that  night  his  tail  was 
sheared  so  closely  that  it  resembled  a  corn-cob ; 
and  other  outrages  were  committed.  At  this  meet- 
ing a  society  was  organized,  called  the  Georgetown 
Anti-slavery  Society.  The  constitution  of  this 
society  bears  date  December  4th,  1838  ;  its  officers 
were :  President,  Eben  Hill ;  Secretary,  William 
Wakeman  ;  Treasurer,  John  O.  St.  John. 

From  the  lofty  ridges  which  form  a  distinguishing- 
feature  of  our  landscape,  fine  views  of  the  Sound, 
the  shipping,  and  of  a  pleasant  country  of  farms  may 
be  obtained.  The  "  Glen"  in  the  valley  of  the  Sau- 
gatuck  is  widely  famed  for  its  beautiful  and  pictu- 
resque scenery.  The  valley  of  the  Aspetuck,  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  town,  also  offers  many  attractions 
to  the  tourist.  Little  River,  in  the  upper  part  of  its 
course,  flows  through  a  wrild  and  picturesque  region, 
and  near  its  western  bank  may  be  seen  the  well-de- 
lined  limits  of  Putnam's  camp.  Near  the  camp  is 
Phillip's  Cave,  so  called,  according  to  tradition,  be- 
cause in  colonial  times  it  afforded  shelter  to  a  runa- 
way slave  of  that  name,  who  lived  here  for  a  term  of 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  1~»'.) 

years,  and  levied  on  the  fields  and  poultry  yards  of 
the  settlers  for  subsistence. 

Gallows  Hill,  in  the  western  part  of  the  town,  near 
Redding  Station,  was  the  scene  of  the  execution  of  a 
spy  and  a  deserter  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

RKUDING   IN   THE    CIVIL    WAK. 

THE  news  flashed  over  the  wires  in  1861  that  the 
old  flag  had  been  fired  upon  at  Sumter,  and  that 
war  was  imminent,  was  received  by  the  citizens  of 
Redding  with  the  same  courage  and  decision  that 
had  been  displayed  by  their  ancestors  at  the  open- 
ing of  the  Revolution,  nearly  a  hundred  years  be- 
fore. 

The  old  flag  had  been  dishonored,  and  the  Union, 
the  inalienable  birthright  bequeathed  by  the  fathers, 
had  been  declared  to  be  at  an  end. 

It  was  felt  to  be  a  time  for  action,  for  the  burying 
of  party  differences,  and  for  uniting  in  support  of 
the  measures  which  were  at  once  adopted  for  over- 
coming the  threatened  evil.  Public  meetings  were 
held,  at  which  sentiments  of  the  purest  patriotism 
were  expressed,  and  volunteers  hastened  to  enroll 
themselves  for  the  defence  of  the  flag.  These  acts 
of  loyalty  were  supplemented  by  certain  practical 
measures  adopted  at  special  town  meetings,  and 
which  can  be  best  exhibited  by  extracts  from  the 
town  records  of  the  period.  On  the  23d  of  April, 


160  HISTORY  Of  REDDING. 

ten  days  after  Sumter  fell,  the  following  " 
was  issued : 

"The  legal  voters  of  the  town  of  Redding  are 
hereby  notified  and  warned  to  attend  a  special  town 
meeting  to  be  held  at  the  Town  House  in  said  Town 
on  Monday  Apr.  29,  1861,  at  2  o'clock  P.M.,  to  con- 
sider the  expediency  of  appropriating  funds  to  de- 
fray the  expenses  of  the  families  of  those  who  enlist 
in  the  service  of  the  L\  S.  army  under  the  present 
call  of  the  President  for  troops. 

"  JOHN  EDMUND,  i    Selectmen 

BURR  MEEKER,  of 

FRANCIS  A.  SANFORD,  )    Jtedding. 

"  REDDING,  April  23,  1801.',' 

"  At  a  special  Town  Meeting  legally  warned  and 
held  in  Redding  on  the  29th  day  of  April,  1861, 
Walker  Bates,  Esq.,  chosen  Moderator. 

"  Voted,  unanimously,  that  an  appropriation  be 
made  from  the  treasury  of  the  Town,  for  the  fam- 
ilies of  those  who  have  enlisted,  or  may  enlist  from 
the  town  in  the  service  of  the  U.  S.  Government 
under  the  present  call  of  the  President  for  troops, 
the  same  being  a  call  for  75, 000  volunteers  for  the 
space  of  three  months. 

"  Voted,  unanimously,  that  such  appropriation  be 
as  follows,  to  wit,  three  dollars  per  week  for  each  of 
the  wives,  and  one  dollar  per  week  for  each  of  the 
children  of  the  several  persons  enlisting  as  aforesaid, 
dining  the  time  of  service  of  such  person  under  said 
call. 

11  Voted,  that  a  committee  of  three  be  appointed 
for  each  grand  division  of  the  town,  to  disburse  the 
foregoing  appropriation — such  committee  to  receive 
no  pecuniary  compensation  for  their  services. 
Sturges  Bennett,  Thaddeus  M.  Abbott,  and  James 
Sanford  chosen  such  disbursing  committee. 

"  Voted,  that  the  selectmen  be  instructed  to  draw 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  1G1 

orders  on  the  Treasurer  of  the  Town  on  application 
of  either  of  the  foregoing  named  committee,  in  favor 
of  such  as  are  entitled  to  an  appropriation  as  afore- 
said, under  the  foregoing  vote. 

"  Voted,  that  the  selectmen  be  instructed  to  call  a 
special  town  meeting  as  soon  as  practicable,  for  the 
purpose  of  making  an  appropriation  for  those  who 
enlist  from  this  town  in  the  service  of  the  U.  S.  Gov- 
ernment. 

"  The  above  and  foregoing  is  a  true  record. 

"Attest,  LEMUEL  SANFORD, 

"  Town 


A  call  for  additional  troops  was  issued  by  the 
President  early  in  the  summer  of  1862,  and  a  draft  to 
fill  it  seemed  imminent.  Under  these  circumstances 
a  special  town  meeting  was  held  July  26th,  1862,  at 
which  it  was  voted,  "  that  the  selectmen  be  a  com- 
mittee to  correspond  with  the  Adjutant-  General,  to 
ascertain  whether  if  the  town  furnished  its  quota 
under  the  recent  call  for  additional  troops,  it  would 
exempt  the  town  from  a  draft  under  said  call,"  and 
the  meeting  was  adjourned  to  July  31st,  1862,  to  await 
the  action  of  the  Adjutant-General.  His  answer  be- 
ing in  the  affirmative,  the  meeting  on  reassembling, 
July  31st,  passed  this  resolution  :  "  Resolved,  That  a 
bounty  of  fifty  dollars  be  offered  to  every  volunteer 
from  this  town,  who  shall  enlist  into  the  service  of 
the  United  States  between  the  present  time  and  the 
2()th  of  August  next,  under  the  present  call  for  ad- 
ditional troops,  such  bounty  to  be  paid  to  each  vol- 
unteer enlisting  as  aforesaid,  on  certificate  of  his  ac- 
ceptance from  the  proper  authority  when  presented 
to  the  selectmen."  A  subsequent  meeting  held 
August  23d  extended  the  time  in  which  the  bounty 
12 


162  HISTORY  OF  REDDING 

would  be  paid  to  September  1st.  September  lstr  a 
meeting  was  held  for  the  equalization  of  bounties, 
and  the  bounty  of  $50  was  voted  to  all  who  had  en- 
listed prior  to  the  vote  of  July  31st,  1862,  as  well  as 
to  all  who  should  enlist  hereafter,  except  those  en- 
listing under  the  tirst  call  of  the  President  for  troops. 
The  selectmen  wrere  also  authorized  "to  borrow 
such  sum  of  money  as  might  be  needed  to  carry  out 
such  vote.  Mr.  John  Edmond  was  also  appointed 
an  agent  for  the  town  to  ascertain  the  full  numbers 
of  those  who  had  enlisted  from  the  town.  Six  days 
after,  September  6th,  another  town  meeting  was  held 
and  voted  an  additional  bounty  of  850  to  all  who 
had  previously  enlisted  (except  under  the  first  call), 
and  an  additional  bounty  of  $100  to  all  who  should 
thereafter  "  volunteer  to  fill  up  the  quota  under  the 
present  call,"  thus  making  the  bounty  paid  each 
volunteer  $200.  Throughout  the  war  the  town  was 
anxious  to  avoid  a  draft,  and  made  strenuous  efforts 
to  fill  its  quota  by  volunteering.  July  13th,  1863, 
when  a  fourth  call  for  troops  was  daily  expected,  a, 
town  meeting  was  held,  and  the  selectmen  authorized 
to  draw  from  the  treasury  of  the  town  and  pay  over 
as  a  bounty  "  to  each  person  who  shall  or  may  be 
drafted  under  the  next  call  of  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment for  troops,  and  who  shall  not  be  able  to  get 
excused  for  physical  inability,  or  any  other  cause, 
the  sum  of  $300,  or  such  less  sum  as  the  Secretary  of 
War  shall  fix  upon  for  the  procuration  of  a  substi- 
tute ;"  and  George  Osbom,  David  S.  Johnson,  and 
Daniel  Rider  were  appointed  a  committee  to  procure 
recruits.  Substantially  the  same  plan  was  pursued 
by  the  town  for  filling  its  quota  under  the  various 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  163 

<;alls  of  the  President  for  troops,  and  so  successfully, 
that  no  draft  ever  occurred  within  her  limits.  The 
sum  total  of  the  war  expenses  of  the  town  is  vari- 
ously estimated  at  from  twenty-two  to  twenty-five 
thousand  dollars. 

The  war  record  of  Redding,  so  far  as  it  relates 
to  the  number  of  men  furnished  the  General 
Government,  is,  it  is  believed,  exceeded  by  but 
few  towns  in  the  State.  From  official  returns  in  the 
Adjutant-General's  office,  it  appears  that  Redding 
furnished  one  hundred  and  eight  men  to  the  land 
.forces  of  the  United  States — more  than  one  fifteenth 
of  the  entire  population  of  the  town,  and  fully  one 
third  of  all  its  able-bodied  male  inhabitants.  To  this 
number  must  be  added  many  of  her  sons  who  en- 
listed in  other  towns  and  States.  The  names  of  these 
one  hundred  and  eight  soldiers  constitute  a  roll  of 
honor  whose  lustre  time  will  not  dim,  but  brighten, 
and  which  all  good  citizens  will  be  glad  to  see  pre- 
served in  this  enduring  form.  They  are  given  with 
as  full  details  as  can  be  gathered  from  the  somewhat 
meagre  returns  in  the  Adjutant-General's  office. 

SECOND   REGIMENT   (ARTILLERY). 

1.  Andrew  H.  Sanford,  volunteered  Jan.  5,  1864, 
was  taken  sick  through  fatigue  and  exposure  while 
in  Virginia,  and  died  in  hospital  in  Philadelphia, 
June  5,  1864. 

2.  Morris  H.  Sanford,  volunteered  July  21,  1862  ; 
was  made  2d  Lieutenant,  Co.  C.;  promoted  to  be 
1st  Lieutenant  Aug.  1,  1863.     Again  promoted  to  be 
Captain.    Was  wounded  in  the  shoulder  at  the  battle 
of  Fisher's  Creek. 


164  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

THIRD   REGIMENT    (THREE   MONTHS).      MUSTERED   IN, 
MAY   14,  1861. 

3.  George   W.   Gould,     Co.    G.    Honorably   dis- 
charged Aug.  12,  1861. 

FIFTH   REGIMENT.      MUSTERED   IN   JULY   12,    1861. 

4.  John  H.  Bennett,  Company  A.     Transferred  to 
Invalid  Corps  Sept.  1,  1863. 

5.  Rufus  Mead,  Jr.,  Co.  A.     Re-enlisted  as  a  vet- 
eran Dec. -21,  1863. 

-6.  Hezekiah  Sturges,  Co.  A.     Died  Oct.  14.  1861, 
and  is  buried  in  the  Hull  Cemetery,  Sanfordtown. 

7.  Arthur  M.  Thorp,  Co.  A.     Transferred  to  the 
Invalid  Corps  Sept.  1,  1863. 

8.  Benjamin  P.   Squires,   Co.  A.      Served  three 
years,  and  was  honorably  discharged. 

SIXTH  REGIMENT.      MUSTERED    IN  OCTOBER  28,  1863. 

9.  John  Foster,  Co.  B. 

10.  Francis  De  Four,  Co.  C. 

11.  John  Murphy,  Co.  G. 

SEVENTH  REGIMENT.   MUSTERED  IN  SEPTEMBER  5, 

1861. 

12.  Andrew  B.  Nichols,  Co.  D.     Re-enlisted  as  a 
veteran.     Killed  at  the  battle  of  Drury's  Bluff,  Va., 
May  16,  1864. 

13.  Oscar  Byington,  Co.  D. 

14.  William  Nichols,  Co.  D.     Dischargt  d  for  dis- 
ability Jan.  3,  1863. 

15.  George  W.  Peck,  Co.  I.     Enlisted  in  United 
States  Army  Nov.  4,  1862. 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  165 

16.  Henry  Clark,  Co.  I.,  recruit.     Enlisted  Oct. 
30,  1863. 

17.  Jerome    Pufoy,    recruit.     Enlisted   Nov.    6, 
1863.     Killed  at  Olustee,  Fla.,  Feb.  20,  1864. 

18.  Emil  Durand,  recruit.     Enlisted  Nov.  2,  1863. 

19.  H.  R.  Chamberlain,  recruit.     Enlisted  Nov.  4, 
1863. 

20.  Henry  D.  Harris,  recruit.     Enlisted  Oct.  29, 
1863. 

21.  Peter   Hill,  recruit.     Enlisted  Oct.  31,   1863. 
Transferred  to  U.  S.  Navy  Apr.  28,  1864. 

22.  Robert  Hoch,  recruit.     Enlisted  Nov.  3,  1863. 

23.  John  Miller,  ?ecruit.     Enlisted  Nov.  4,  1863. 

24.  John  H.  Thomas,  recruit.     Enlisted  Nov.  3, 
1863. 

25.  Antoine   Yallori,  recruit.     Enlisted   Oct.  29, 
1863. 

26.  William  Wilson,   recruit.      Enlisted    Nov.   6, 
1863. 

27.  William   Watson,    recruit.     Enlisted  Nov.  2, 
1863.     Transferred  to  U.  S.  Navy  Apr.  28,  1864. 

EIGHTH    REGIMENT.      MUSTERED   IN    SEPT.    25,    1861. 

28.  Aaron  A.  Byington,  Corporal,  Co.  H. 

29.  Lewis  Bedient,  Co.  H. 

30.  Thomas    Bigelow,  Co.    H.     Re-enlisted   as   a 
veteran  Dec.  24,  1863. 

31.  William  Hamilton,  Co.  H.     Re-enlisted  as  a 
veteran  Dec.  24,  1863. 

32.  William  H.  Nichols,  Co.  H.     Re-enlisted  Jan. 
5,  1864. 

33.  Franklin  Paine,  Co.  I.     Died  March  8,  1862. 


166  H18TOR7  OF  REDDING. 

34.  Albert  Woodruff,  Co.  I.     Discharged  for  disa- 
bility May  11,  1862. 

35.  Charles  M.  Platt,  recruit.     Enlisted  Feb.  24, 
1864. 

M.VTH    REGIMENT. 

36.  Michael   Dillon,   recruit.     Enlisted   Feb.   17, 
1864. 

TENTH   REGIMENT.      MUSTERED   IN   SEPT.    21,  1861. 

37.  Francis  H.  Grumman,  Co.  D.     Died  Apr.  1, 
1864. 

ELEVENTH   REGIMENT.      MUSTERED   IN  OCT.  24,  1861. 

38.  Nathan  Cornwall,   Sergeant,  Co.  A.     Re-en- 
listed Jan.  1, 1864,  and  promoted  to  First  Lieutenant, 
A  prisoner  at  Andersonville. 

39.  Samuel  B.  Baxter,  Co.  A.     Discharged  for  dis- 
ability Dec.  4,  1862. 

40.  Charles  O.  Morgan,  Co.  A.     Wounded  by  the 
fragment  of  a  shell,   and  discharged  for  disability 
June  3,  1864. 

41.  George   Sherman,  Co.    K,    recruit.     Enlisted 
Feb.  16,  1864. 

TWELFTH        REGIMENT.       DATE      OF      MUSTER      FROM 

NOV.  20,  1861,  TO  JAN.  1,  1862. 

42.  George  Green,  Co.  B.     Died  June  11,  1863,  of 
wounds  received  at  Port  Hudson. 

FOURTEENTH    REGIMENT. 

43.  George  Lover,  Co.  A.     Mustered  in  June  16, 
1862. 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  167. 

44.  Wesley  Banks,  Co.  E.     Mustered  in   Oct.  1, 
1863.     Died  Feb.   12,   1864,  of  wounds  received  at 
Morton's  Ford,  Va. 

SEVENTEENTH   REGIMENT.      DATE   OF    MUSTER  FROM 
JULY   14  TO   AUG.    14,    1862. 

45.  Waterman  Bates,  Co.  A.     Discharged  for  dis- 
ability Dec.  18,  1863. 

46.  Edmund  Treadwell,  Co.  D.    Taken  prisoner  in 
Florida. 

47.  George  AY.   Banks,    Sergeant,    Co.   G.      Dis- 
charged Sept^lo,  1862. 

48.  David  S.  Bartram.     Enlisted  as  a  private  in 
Co.  G.,  Aug.  16,  1862.     Promoted  to  2d  Lieutenant 
May  8,  1863.     Participated  in  the  battle  of  Chancel- 
lorsville ;  and  was    taken  prisoner  at   Gettysburg, 
July  3, 1863.     Was  an  inmate  of  rebel  prisons  for 
twenty-two  months,  experiencing  in  succession  the 
horrors  of  the  Libby  Prison  at  Richmond,  and  of  the 
prison  pens  at  Danville,  Macon,  Savannah,  Charles- 
ton,   Columbia,    and   Goldsboro.     He  was  paroled 
March  1,  1865,  near  Wilmington,  N.  C.,  and  succeed- 
ed in  reaching  the  Union  lines  at  the  latter  place. 

49.  Morris  Jennings,  Co.  G.     Discharged  for  dis- 
ability March  26,  1863. 

50.  James  M.  Burr,  Co.  G.     Discharged    for  dis- 
ability March  9,  1863. 

51.  Martin  Costello,  Co.  G.     Taken  prisoner. 

52.  Andrew  D.  Couch,  Co.  G.     Killed  at  Chancel- 
lorsville  May  2,  1863. 

53.  John  W.  De  Forrest,  Co.  G.     Discharged  for 
disability  Apr.  4,  1863. 


108  BISTORT  OF  REDDING. 

54.  Edrnund    Godfrey,    Co.   G.     Discharged    for 
disability  March  9,  1863. 

55.  George  Hull,  Co.  G. 

56.  Burr  Lockwood,  Co.  G. 

57.  John  Lockwood,  Co.  G. 

58.  Aaron  Peck,  Co.  G. 

59.  John  M.    Sherman,   Co.   G.     Discharged    for 
disability  Dec.  10,  1862. 

60.  George  Whalen,  Co.  G. 


TWENTY-THIRD  REGIMENT.       DATE   OF   MUSTER  FROM 
AUG.  15   TO   SEPT.    20,    1862. 

61.  David   H.   Miller,    Major    of    the    regiment. 
Discharged  Aug.  31,  1863. 

62.  Obadiah    R.    Coleman,    Co.    D.      Discharged 
Aug.  31.  1863. 

63.  Charles  A.  Gregory.     Discharged  same  date. 

64.  George   W.   Gould,   Corporal,    Co.     E.     Dis- 
charged Aug.  31,  1863. 

65.  Azariah  E.  Meeker,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug. 
31,  1863. 

66.  Frederic  D.    Chapman,  Co.   E.      Discharged 
Aug.  31,  1863. 

67.  Henry  H.  Lee,   Co.  E.     Discharged   Aug.  31, 
1863. 

68.  Charles  Albin,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug.  31, 
1863. 

69.  Edward  Banks,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug.  31, 
1863. 

70.  Henry  W.  Bates,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug.  31, 
1863. 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  169 

71.  Charles  H.  Bates,  Co  E.     Discharged  Aug.  31, 
1863. 

72.  Smith  Bates,  Co.  E.    Discharged  Aug.  31, 1863. 

73.  Lemuel  B.  Benedict,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug. 
31, 1863. 

74.  Peter  W.  Birdsall,   Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug. 
31,  1863. 

75.  William  F.  Brown,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug. 
31,  1863. 

76.  Henry  F.  Burr,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug.  31, 
1863. 

77.  Martin  V.  B.  Burr,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug. 
31,  1863. 

78.  Aaron  Burr,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug.  31, 1863. 

79.  Ammi  Carter,  Co.  E.     Died  Aug.  12,  1863. 

80.  William  Coley,  Co.   E.     Discharged  Aug.  31, 
1863. 

81.  Cyrus   B.  Eastford,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug. 
31, 1863. 

82.  William  Fanton,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug.  31, 
1863. 

83.  Charles   A.  Field,  Co.  E.      Discharged  Aug. 
31,  1863. 

84.  Samuel  S.  Gray,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug.  31, 
1863. 

85.  James  F.  Jelltff,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug.  31, 
1863. 

86.  Charles  Lockwood,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug. 
31,  1863. 

87.  Elihu   Osborne,  Co.  E.     Discharged   Aug.  31, 
1863. 

88.  John  Osborne,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug.  31, 
1863. 


170  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

89.  Henry  Parsons,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug.  31, 
1863. 

90.  Henry  Platt,    Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug.    31, 

1863. 

91.  Sanford  J.  Platt,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug.  31, 
1863. 

92.  James  J.  Ryder,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug.  31, 
1863. 

93.  George  E.   Smith,  Co.  E.     Discharged   Aug. 
31,  1863. 

94.  Anton  Stommel,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug.  31, 
1863. 

95.  Jacob  B.  St.  John,  Co.  E.     Discharged  Aug. 
31,  1863. 

96.  Ralph  S.  Meade,  Co.  G.     Discharged  Aug.  31 , 

1863. 

97.  Henry  Wheelock,  Co.  G.     Discharged   Aug. 

31,  1863. 

98.  George  S.  Tarbell,  Co.  G.     Discharged  Aug. 

31,  1863. 

99.  Almon  S.  Merwin,  Co.  G.     Discharged  Aug. 

31,  1863. 

100.  Lyman     Whitehead,     Co.     K.     Discharged 

Aug.  31/1863. 

101.  Seth  P.  Bates,  Sergeant,  Co.  E.    Promoted  to 
1st  Lieutenant.     Discharged  Aug.  31, 1863. 

TWENTY-NINTH     REGIMENT     (COLORED).       MU8TERKD 
IN  MARCH   8,    1864. 

102.  John  H.  Hall,  Co.  A. 

103.  John  M.  Coley,  Co.  E. 

104.  Theodore  Xelson,  Co.  E.     Died  Apr.  6,  1S04. 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  171 

105.  Lafayette  S.  Williams,  Co.  E. 

106.  Edward  Voorhies,  Co.  E. 

107.  Joseph  F.  Butler,  Corp.,  Co.  G. 

108.  Henry  B.  Pease,  Co.  G. 

109.  Cato  Johnson,  Co.  G. 

On  February  4, 1862,  a  meeting  was  held  in  George- 
town for  the  purpose  of  electing  officers  for  Co.  E., 
8th  Regt.,  2d  Brigade,  Conn.  State  Militia,  the 
Company  being  known  as  Co.  E.,  ^National  Guard. 


David  H.  Miller  wi 
Hiram  St.  John 
Geo.  M.  Godfrey 
John  N.  Main 
Jas.  Corcoran 
Lewis  Northrop 
David  S.  Bartram 
Aaron  0.  Scribner 
Wm.  D.  Gilbert 
Aaron  H.  Davis 
Alonzo  Dickson 
Jerem'h  R.  Miller 
Edw'd  Thompson 
Seth  P.  Bates 
Geo.  W.  Gould 
Albert  D.  Stur^es 

is  ele( 

•ted  Capta 
1st  Li 
3d  Lit 
1st  Se 
2d 
3d 
4th 
5th 
IstC 
2d 
3d 
4th 
5th 
6th 
7th 
8th 

n  

Redding. 

eut  

Wilton. 

ut  

ro"t.  . 

Reddino- 

.  .    ..Wilton. 

.  .    .  .  Weston. 

Redding. 

Wilton. 

rpl.  . 

Redding. 

Wilton. 

Reddinf  . 

« 

..Wilton. 

PRIVATES. 

John  W.  Mead Ridgefield. 

Moses  Comstock Wilton. 

James  Lobdell " 

James  F.  Jelliff Weston. 

Hezekiah  B.  Osborn Redding. 

Joseph  R.  Lockwood Wilton. 

Henry  Parsons Redding. 

Wm.  H.  Canfield 

Minot  S.  Patrick 

Charles  A.  Jennings Wilton. 

Edwin  Gilbert Redding. 

David  E.  Smith " 

Hiram  Cobleigh " 

Samuel  A.  Main " 

Anton  Stommel   " 

George  L.  Dann Wilton. 

Jonathan  Betts. .  .  .Weston. 


172  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

Charles  Olmsted Wilton. 

Charles  Albin Redding. 

Fred.  D.  Chapman 

Henry  Holnnan 

Wm.'B.  Smith 

Wm.  E.  Broth  well Wi  ton. 

Azariah  E.  Meeker Redding. 

Charles  S.  Gregory 

Charles  S.  Meeker 

Charles  H.  Downs 

Wm.  Coley 

Lorenzo  Jones 

Henry  F.  Burr 

Obadiah  P.  Coleman 

Charles  H.  Canfield 

John  L.  Godfrey Wilton. 

Sylvester  Albin Redding. 

The  Company  uniformed  itself  and  drilled  until 
August,  1862.  When  Governor  Buckingham  called 
for  troops  to  serve  for  nine  months,  the  entire  com- 
mand volunteered  its  services,  and  was  accepted. 
The  company  was  immediately  recruited  up  to  108 
men,  and  reported  for  duty  at  Camp  Terry,  New 
Haven,  where  it  was  mustered  into  the  U.  S.  service 
as  Co.  E.,  23d  Regt.  Conn.  Vols.  On  the  forma- 
tion of  the  23d  Regt.,  Capt.  Miller  was  promoted 
to  be  Major  of  the  regiment.  Geo.  M.  Godfrey  was 
elected  Captain  of  Co.  E.,  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused 
by  the  promotion  of  Capt.  Miller  ;  and  John  JN".  Main 
promoted  to  2d  Lieutenant,  to  fill  vacancy  caused  by 
the  promotion  of  Lieut.  Godfrey. 

The  company  was  sent  with  the  regiment  from 
New  Haven  to  Camp  Buckingham,  on  Long  Island, 
and  from  thence  by  steamer  Che  Kiang  to  New  Or- 
leans, where  it  wras  embodied  in  the  19th  Army  Corps, 
under  Gen.  Banks.  It  was  engaged  at  Lafourche 
Crossing,  La.,  on  June  21, 1863,  with  a  superior  force 
of  the  rebels,  but  came  out  victorious. 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  173 

The  company  was  mustered  out  of  the  U.  S.  ser- 
vice at  New  Haven,  Sept.  3,  1863,  after  a  service  of 
nearly  thirteen  months. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE   EARLY    FAMILIP;S    OF   REDDING.* 

ADAMS. 

JOSEPH  ADAMS  removed  when  a  young  man  from 
Boston  to  Fail-field,  and  married,  soon  after,  Joanna 
Disbrow,  of  Fairfield.  About  1760  he  removed  to 
Redding,  and  settled  in  Lonetown,  on  the  farm  now 
owned  by  his  grandson  Stephen.  His  children  were  : 
Stephen,  baptized  August  15,  1762.  Hezekiah,  bap- 
tized September  30,  1764.  Ellen,  baptized  Novem- 
ber 10,  1765.  Abigail,  baptized  March  6,  1768. 
Joseph,  baptized  April  28,  1771.  Israel,  baptized 
January  10,  1773.  Aaron,  baptized  July  16.  1775. 
Nathan,  baptized  September  6,  1778.  Of  these 
children,  Stephen  enlisted  in  the  Continental  Army 
and  never  returned.  Hezekiah  married  Betty  Par- 
sons, and  had  children  : — Betsey,  who  married  John 
Gray,  and  settled  in  Norwalk  ;  Stephen,  now  living 
in  Redding,  at  the  age  of  eighty-nine  ;  Lemuel,  now 
living  in  Redding,  aged  eighty-six  ;  Aaron,  who  re- 

*  These  notes,  arranged  alphabetically,  are  not  intended  as  com- 
plete histories  of  the  families  mentioned,  but  rather  as  sketches  of 
the  early  settlers  of  the  town,  and  as  aids  to  the  genealogist  in  his 
researches.  For  complete  histories,  the  inquirer  should  consult  the 
ancient  records  of  Norwalk,  Stratford,  Fairfield,  and  Danbury,  as  well 
as  those  of  Redding. 


174  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

moved  to  the  West ;  and  Elinor,  who  married  Hawley 
Judd.  It  is  related  of  Hezekiah  Adams,  that,  too 
young  to  enlist  as  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary 
Army,  he  entered  the  service  as  a  teamster,  and  on 
one  occasion  drove  a  wagon,  loaded  with  Spanish 
milled  dollars,  to  Baltimore. 

Abraham  Adams,  brother  of  Joseph,  was  contem- 
porary with  him  in  Redding.  His  wife  was  Sarah 

— .  Their  children  were  :  Ann,  baptized  March 
6,  1768.  Deborah,  baptized  April  28,  1771.  Sarah, 
baptized  July  31,  1774  ;  died  in  infancy.  Sarah, 
baptized  October  20, 1776.  Eli,  baptized  January  30, 
1780.  Family  record  mentions  a  son  Abraham. 

BANKS. 

JESSE  BANKS,  son  of  Joseph  Banks,  of  Fail-field, 
removed  to  Redding  at  an  early  day  ;  married,  June 
11,  1763,  Mabel  Wheeler  (town  record  says  Meliit- 
cible  Wheeler).  Their  children  were  :  Hyatt,  born 
December  9,  1764.  Jesse,  born  October  29,  1766. 
Joanna,  born  July  27, 1768.  Mabel,  born  October  2, 
1772 ;  died  in  infancy.  Mary,  born  June  23,  1774. 
Mabel,  born  November  17,  1776. 

Jesse  married,  December  15,  1787,  Martha  Sum- 
mers. Mabel  married  Ebenezer  Foot,  August  29, 
1797.  Seth  Banks  also  appears  in  Redding  contem- 
porary with  Jesse  ;  married  Sarah  Pickett  Novem- 
ber 20,  1766,  and  had  children :  Mehitable,  born 
January  15,.  1768,  and  Thomas  ;  and  perhaps  others. 

BARLOW. 

THE  Barlow  family  in  Redding  is  descended  from 
John  Barlow,  who  appears  in  Fairfield  as  early  as 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  175 

1668,  and  died  in  1674.  Samuel  Barlow,  son  of  Sam- 
uel Barlow,  of  Fail-field,  grandson  of  John  Barlow, 
he  a  son  of  the  first  settler  of  that  name,  removed  to 
Redding  about  1740,  and  settled  in  what  is  now  Bos- 
ton district,  near  the  present  residence  of  Bradley 
Hill.  He  married,  first,  Eunice,  daughter  of  Daniel 
Bradley,  of  Fail-field,  August  2,  1731.  Their  chil- 
dren were  :  Daniel,  born  November  24,  1734.  Ruha- 
mah,  born  January  22, 1737.  James,  born  January  29, 
1739.  Jabez,  born  March,  21,  1742.  After  the  death 
of  his  first  wife,  Samuel  Barlow  married  Esther, 
daughter  of  Nathaniel  Hull,  of  Redding,  August  7, 
1774.  She  died  August  28,  1775,  aged  fifty-four 
years.  Their  children  were  :  Nathaniel,  born  May  13, 
1745.  Aaron,  born  February  11,  1750.  Samuel, 
bora  April  3, 1752.  Joel,  the  poet,  born  March  24, 
1754.  Huldah,  born  —  — .  Mr.  Samuel  Bar- 
low purchased  his  farm  of  James  Bradley  for 
£2500.  It  consisted  of  170  acres,  with  "buildings 
thereon,''  and  was  bounded  on  the  north  by  the 
first  cross  highway  from  the  rear  of  the  long  lots— 
without  doubt  the  road  before  mentioned  leading 
from  Boston  through  the  centre  to  Redding  Ridge. 
"  This  northern  boundary,"  says  Mr.  Hill,  "  together 
with  the  familiar  names  of  the  old  owners  of  prop- 
erty on  the  other  'side  of  the  farm,  and  also  the 
names  of  such  familiar  localities  on  the  farm  as  '  the 
boggs,'  and  the  '  flat  ridge,'  and  the  '  up  and  down 
road,  leading  to  each  from  the  main  road,  mark  this 
farm  purchased  by  Samuel  Barlow  as  being  unmis- 
takably the  present  property  of  Bradley  Hill,  and 
the  heirs  of  Gershom  Hill.  There  was  on  it  at  the 
time  a  good  substantial  dwelling-house  of  respecta- 


176  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

ble  size,  erected  by  a  previous  owner,  and  which 
stood  about  four  hundred  feet  west  of  the  present 
residence  of  Bradley  Hill,  on  the  same  side  of  the 
street.  The  house  was  demolished  in  1823.  Having 
purchased  this  property  January  2,  1749,  he  un- 
doubtedly located  his  family  on  it  the  following 
spring,  as  in  subsequent  deeds  he  is  recognized  as  a 
resident  of  the  "  Parish  of  Reading."  It  was  here 
that  Aaron,  Samuel,  Joel,  and  Huldah  were  born. 
It  was  here  he  lived  and  died,  and  from  here  he 
was  buried  in  the  old  cemetery  west  of  the  Congre- 
gational Church  in  Redding  Centre." 

Of  the  children  of  Samuel  Barlow,  Daniel  and 
Ruhamah  died  early.  James  settled  in  Ridgefield, 
on  a  farm  of  130  acres  conveyed  to  him  by  his  father 
March  30,  1770.  He  had  four  children  :  Samuel, 
who  removed  to  the  South  ;  Lewis,  Abigail,  and 
James,  who  settled  in  Vermont.  Jabez,  the  young- 
est son  by  the  first  wife,  settled  in  Ohio. 

Nathaniel  Barlow  married  Jane  Bradley,  who  was 
born  May,  1744.  Their  children  were  :  Gershom. 
born  October  21, 1765  ;  died  of  consumption  Septem- 
ber 24,  1794.  Esther,  born  September  30,  1767 ;  a 
deaf  mute  ;  died  May  10,  1783.  Sarah,  born  January 
16,  1770  ;  died  April  11, 1845.  Jonathan,  born  April 
14,  1772  ;  died  August  28,  1775.  Betsey,  born  Aug- 
ust 2,  1778  ;  died  September  9,  1864.  Huldah,  born 
April  3,  1780  ;  a  deaf  mute,  died  August  29,  1787. 
Mr.  Nathaniel  Barlow  died  December  26,  1782. 

Aaron  Barlow  settled  in  Redding,  on  Umpawaug 
Hill,  on  a  farm  purchased  by  his  father  several  years 
before.  He  was  a  man  of  ability,  tall,  and  of  impos- 
ing bearing,  and  served  in  the  capacity  of  a  colonel 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  177 

in  the  Revolution.  He  removed  to  Norfolk,  Va.,  and 
died  there  of  yellow-fever.  His  children  were : 
Klnathan,  who  died  young.  Elnathan,  died  in  the 
war  of  1812.  Samuel,  removed  to  Ohio.  Stephen 
was  a  lawyer  in  Ohio.  Daniel,  lived  and  died  in 
Redding.  Aaron,  died  at  sea.  Esther,  died  at 
jSTorfolk,  of  yellow-fever.  Joel,  died  in  Redding. 
Rebecca,  lived  and  died  in  Redding ;  and  Thomas, 
called  after  Thomas  Paine  by  his  uncle  Joel. 

Thomas  was  educated  and  adopted  by  his  uncle,  the 
poet,  and  accompanied  him  to  France  as  his  private 
secretary.  He  was  also  his  companion  on  the  fatal 
journey  to  Wilna.  After  the  death  of  his  uncle, 
Thomas  returned  to  America  and  established  himself 
as  a  lawyer  in  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  and  died  there. 

Samuel  Barlow,  the  third  son  by  the  second  wife, 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  Army,  and  died 
at  Rhinebeck,  X.  Y.,  on  his  return  from  the  expedi- 
tion against  Ticonderoga.  A  stone  to  his  memory 
was  erected  in  the  old  cemetery  in  Redding,  near  the 
Congregational  Church,  and  which  is  still  standing. 

Of  Joel  Barlow,  the  poet,  a  full  account  is  given 
elsewhere. 

BARTLETT. 

REV.  NATIIAXIEL  BARTLETT,  second  pastor  of 
the  Congregational  Church  in  Redding,  became  a 
resident  in  1753,  and  so  remained  until  his  death  in 
1810.  He  married,  June  13,  1753,  Mrs.  Eunice  Rus- 
sell, of  Branford,  Conn.  Their  children  were  :  Rus- 
sell, baptized  June  9,  1754.  Daniel  C.,  baptized 
January  16,  1757.  Anne,  February  25,  1759.  Eu- 
nice, April  26,  1761.  Jonathan,  October  14,  1764. 
13 


178  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

Lucretia,  March  27,  1768.    Russell  married,  February 

28,  1776,  Rachel  Taylor,  and  had  children :  Clare, 
baptized  March  30, 1777,  and  Flora,  baptized  August 

29,  1779.     Daniel  C.  married  Esther  Read  January 
7,  1778,  and  settled  in  Amenia,  N.  Y.,  where  some 
of  his    descendants   now    reside.      Rev.   Jonathan 
married,  first,  Roda,  daughter  of  Lemuel  Sanford ; 
second,   Betsey    Marvin,    of    Wilton ;    and,   third, 
Abigail,  daughter  of  Lemuel  Sanford.     lie  had  no 
children. 

Sketches  of  Rev.  Jonathan  Bartlett,  and  of  his 
father,  Rev.  Nathaniel  Bartlett,  are  given  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  Congregational  church. 

BARTKAlf. 

33AVID  BAKTRAM  removed  from  Fail-field  to  Red- 
ding as  early  as  1733,  in  which  year  he  appears  as 
surveyor  of  highways.  He  was  a  farmer,  and  settled 
in  Lonetown.  He  had  five  sons  and  three  daughters 
born  in  Fairfield,  viz.,  David,  Paul,  James ;  Daniel, 
born  October  23,  1745  ;  John,  Mabel,  Hannah,  and 
Betsey.  All  the  sons  settled  in  Redding.  David 
married,  April  30,  1762,  Phebe  Morehouse,  by  whom 
he  had  Joel,  David,  John,  Jonathan,  Hulda,  Hepsy, 
and  Phebe.  (Family  record.)  Paul  married,  Sep- 
tember 19,  1756,  Mary  Hawley.  Their  children  were  : 
Joseph,  born  January  28,  1758  ;  died  in  infancy. 
Mary,  born  May  12,  1760.  Sarah,  born  August 
6,  1762.  Eunice,  born  January  3,  1765.  Eli,  born 
March  30,  1767.  Ruth,  born  January  7,  1769. 
Ezekiel,  born  July  9,  1770.  (Town  record.)  Ezra, 
baptized  May  9,  1773.  Joseph,  baptized  March 
JO,  1776.  (Family  record  mentions  a  daughter 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  179 

Olive.)  Of  these  children.  Mary  married  Jabez 
Burr,  and  removed  to  Clarendon,  Vt.  Sarah 
married  Milo  Palmer,  and  removed  to  the  same 
place.  Eunice  married  Daniel  Parsons,  of  Red- 
ding. Eli  married  Dolly  Lyon,  of  Redding ;  and 
about  1804  removed  to  Delaware  Co.,  N.  Y.  His 
children  were  William,  Belinda,  Phebe,  and  Lodema, 
Ezekiel  married  Esther,  daughter  of  Jonathan  Par- 
sons, of  Redding..  Their  children  were  :  Mary,  Jared, 
Milo,  Clarissa,  Elizabeth,  Jehu,  Sarah,  Elias,  Ezra, 
Phebe,  and  Noah.  One  of  his  sons,  Jehu,  studied 
law  and  rose  to  eminence  in  the  profession  ;  was 
judge,  representative,  and  senator.  Ezekiel  moved 
to  Ohio  at  an  early  day,  and  settled  in  Marion,  where 
he  resided  until  his  death,  March  15,  1845.  Ezra 
was  a  sailor  ;  married  Elinor,  daughter  of  Chauncey 
Merchant,  of  Redding,  and  quitting  the  sea,  removed 
to  Delaware  Co.,  N.  Y.,  where  he  died  shortly 
after,  leaving  children— Joel  M.,  Ezra,  Uriah,  and 
Lucy.  Joseph  removed  first  to  Arermont,  and  after- 
ward to  Tioga  Co.,  N.  Y.  Olive  married  Justus 
Stillson,  of  Redding,  and  removed  to  Groton,  N.  Y. 

James  Bartram,  son  of  David,  settled  in  Redding. 
Was  a  private  in  the  Revolution.  Married  Hannah 
Morehouse,  who  became  the  mother  of  twenty -one 
children,  ten  only  of  whom  survived.  These  were  : 
Isaac,  born  April  15,  1758.  Noah,  born  1760. 
James,  born  1770.  Aaron,  born  February  21,  1784. 
Lucy,  Hannah,  Betsey,  Irena,  and  Anna. 

Of  these  children,  Isaac  settled  in  Redding  ;  mar- 
ried Molly  Hamilton,  by  whom  he  had  seven  chil- 
dren—Isaac, Harry,  David,  Willis,  Chasie,  Lucy, 
Polly,  and  Huldah.  Aaron  also  settled  in  Redding, 


180  HISTORY  OF  REDDIKG. 

married  Eunice  Jenkins,  and  raised  a  large  family  of 
children. 

Daniel,  fourth  son  of  David,  also  settled  in  Red- 
ding, was  a  tanner  and  currier  by  trade,  and  built 
the  first  works  of  the  kind  in  the  town,  on  the 
ground  now  occupied  by  Walter  M.  Edmonds  for 
the  same  purpose.  He  married,  October  10,  1768, 
Ann  Merchant,  of  Redding.  Their  children  were  : 
Esther,  born  April  16,  1770.  Gurdon,  bom  October 
25,  1771 ;  died  in  infancy.  Anna,  born  January  23, 
1773  ;  died  in  infancy.  Elinor,  born  March  1,  1774  ; 
died  in  infancy.  Gurdon,  born  September  21,  1776. 
Anna,  born  August  10,  1778  ;  married  -  -  Mead  ; 
settled  in  Ridgefield.  Elinor,  born  February  4, 
1780 ;  died  in  infancy.  Uriah,  born  January  9, 
1782.  Elinor,  born  October  28,  1783  ;  married  - 
Nash ;  settled  in  Marion.  Julilla,  born  November 
12,  1785  ;  married  —  -  Bangs  ;  settled  in  Central 
N.  Y.  Levi,  born  November  26,  1787.  Phebe, 
born  September  19,  1790;  married  -  Curtin. 
David,  born  June  5,  179o.  At  the  time  of  Try  on' s 
invasion,  with  nearly  every  other  man  in  the  town 
capable  of  bearing  arms,  Daniel  Bartram  joined  the 
militia  and  marched  to  the  defence  of  Danbury. 
Being  absent  several  days,  he  sent  word  to  his  wife 
that  she  must  get  some  one  to  take  the  hides  from 
the  vats  or  they  would  spoil.  There  was  not  a  man 
to  be  found ;  and  so  the  brave  woman,  leaving  her 
four  small  children  to  amuse  one  another,  caught 
her  horse,  hitched  him  to  the  bark  mill,  ground  the 
bark,  took  the  hides  out,  turned  and  repacked  them 
and  had  just  seated  herself  at  the  dinner-table  wh<Mi 
her  husband  rode  up,  having  gained  leave  of  absence 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  181 

for  the  purpose  of  attending  to  the  matter.  On  the 
3d  of  May,  1810,  Daniel  Bartram  left  Redding,  ac- 
companied by  his  wife,  his  four  children,  Uriah, 
Levi,  Phebe,  and  David,  and  several  of  his  neigh- 
bors, for  what  was  then  the  wilderness  of  Ohio. 
They  arrived  in  Madison,  Lake  Co.,  Ohio,  on  the 
10th  of  June,  where  they  settled,  and  where  many  of 
their  descendants  now  reside.  Daniel  Bartram  died 
in  Madison,  May  17,  1817.  His  widow  died  August 
3,  1835.  Gurdon  Bartram,  the  eldest  son  of  Daniel, 
remained  in  Redding.  He  married,  January  1, 1804, 
Lorraine,  daughter  of  Oliver  Sanford,  of  Redding. 
Their  children  were  :  Aaron  R.,  Lucy  A.,  Barney, 
Coley,  Betsey,  Oliver,  Daniel  S.,  Ephraim,  Levi, 
Frederick,  Mary,  and  Julia.  Gurdon  Bartram  died 
April  12,  1845,  at  the  old  homestead  now  occupied  by 
his  grandson  David.  Uriah,  second  son  of  Daniel, 
settled  in  Madison,  Ohio,  where  he  died  quite  sud- 
denly of  heart-disease,  June  28,  1830,  leaving  a  wife 
and  six  children.  Levi,  third  son  of  Daniel,  settled 
in  Madison,  Ohio  ;  married,  June  17,  1813,  Betsey 
Nott  Walker,  who  was  born  in  Ashford,  Conn., 
April  29,  1790.  Mr.  Bartram  died  of  heart-disease 
May  12,  1857,  leaving  a  family  of  five  children.  His 
widow  died  June  13,  1863.  David,  fourth  son  of 
Daniel,  also  settled  in  Madison,  and  subsequently  re- 
moved to  Trumbull,  Ashtabula  Co.,  Ohio.  He  mar- 
ried, March  12,  1818,  Elizabeth  Gregory,  formerly 
of  Harpersfield,  N.  Y.  They  had  six  children.  Mr. 
Bartram  died  of  heart-disease  September  2,  1875. 

John  Bartram,  son  of  David  the  first,  married,  Sep- 
tember 19,  1756,  Charity  Bulkley.  Family  record 
mentions  two  children,  Sally  and  Samuel. 


182  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 


BATES. 

ELIAS  BATES  was  received  to  .church-membership 
in  Redding  January  19,  1745.  His  wife,  Sarah, 
March  4,  1748.  There  is  no  hint  of  his  previous  res- 
idence, and  he  probably  came  here  direct  from  Eng- 
land. His  children  recorded  in  Redding  were  :  Jus- 
tus, baptized,  July  26,  1747 ;  and  Sarah,  baptized 
February  2,  1752  :  by  a  second  wife,  Tabitha  -  — , 
Walker,  baptized  January  6,  1760.  Elias,  baptized 
February  16,  1761,  died  in  infancy. 

John  Bates,  probably  son  of  Elias,  married  Esther 

— .  Their  children  were :  Ezra,  baptized  March 
23,  1760,  died  in  infancy.  John,  baptized  July  25, 
1762.  Sarah,  baptized  May  5,  1764.  Esther,  bap- 
tized August  23,  1767.  Nathan,  baptized  March  25, 
1770.  Aaron,  July  1,  1772.  Martha  and  Slawson, 
January  26,  1778.  " 

Justus  Bates,  son  of  Elias,  married  Hannah  Coley, 
May  23,  1770.  They  had  one  child,  Elias,  baptized 
October  4,  1772,  who  married,  November  9,  1793, 
Lydia  Andrews,  of  Redding,  and  was  the  father  of 
three  children — Walker,  born  June  4,  1796;  Anui- 
ziah,  bom  May  17,  1801 ;  and  Harriet,  born  May  2 1 . 
1804. 

BEACH. 

JOHN  BEACH,  missionary  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land in  Redding,  was  born  in  Stratford,  Conn., 
October  6,  1700.  His  father  was  Isaac  Beach,  son  of 
John  Beach  who  came  from  England  in  1643.  Pie 
graduated  from  Yale  College  in  1721.  He  married, 
lirst,  Sarah  -  — ,  who  died  in  1756  ;  and,  second. 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  183 

Abigail  Holbrook,  who  after  his  death  returned  to 
Derby.  He  had  in  all  nine  children.  Those  who 
had  families  were  :  Joseph,  born  September  26,  1727. 
Phebe,  born  1729  ;  married  Daniel  Hill  of  Redding  ; 
died  1751,  leaving  a  son  Abel.  John,  born  1734 ; 
married  Phebe  Curtis  ;  died  in  1791.  Lazarus,  born 
173G  ;  had  two  children,  viz.,  Lazarus,  born  1760, 
and  Isaac,  born  1773. 

Lazarus  inherited  his  father's  land  in  Redding,  at 
Hopewell,  near  which  he  built  his  house.  Lazarus 
Beach,  Jr.,  was  of  a  literary  turn,  and  edited  a  paper 
at  Bridgeport,  and  afterward  at  Washington,  D.  C. 
On  his  journey  to  the  latter  place  he  lost  his  trunk 
or  valise,  containing  the  Beach  manuscripts,  and  all 
his  materials  gathered  for  the  purpose  of  writing  a 
memoir  of  his  distinguished  grandfather.  He  built 
the  house  now  standing  near  Mr.  Godfrey's.  Isaac 
Beach  built  the  house  now  occupied  by  Hull  B. 
Bradley.  The  Rev.  John  Beach  lived  about  thirty 
to  forty  rods  south  of  the  church,  probably  on  the 
site  of  the  old  Captain  Hunger  house,  which  has  long- 
since  disappeared.  The  well  is  still  used  by  Mr.  E. 
P.  Shaw.  Lucy,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  John  Beach, 
married  Rev.  Mr.  Townsend,  and  was  lost  at  sea  on 
her  passage  to  Nova  Scotia,  probably  at  the  time  of 
the  great  exodus  of  Loyalists  after  the  Revolution. 
The  mother  of  James  Sanford,  Sen.,  was  the  daugh- 
ter of  Lazarus  and  grand-daughter  of  Rev.  John 
Beach. 

BENEDICT. 

THE  Benedicts  were  a  Nor  walk  family  and  settled 
quite  largely  in  Ridgefield.  The  first  of  the  name 


184  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

whom  I  find  in  Redding  was  Thaddeus  Benedict, 
who  was  a  lawyer  and  town- clerk  for  a  term  of 
years.  His  house  stood  in  the  lot  adjoining  the 
Congregational  parsonage,  near  the  site  of  the  pres- 
ent residence  of  Joseph  Squire.  His  law  office  was 
under  the  great  elm  in  front  of  his  house.  He  mar- 
ried Deborah  Read,  July  12,  1775,  daughter  of  Col- 
onel John  Read,  who  bore  him  several  children. 

BETTS. 

LIEUTENANT  STEPHEN  BETTS,  a  prominent  char- 
acter in  the  Revolution,  lived  on  Redding  Ridge,  in 
a  house  that  stood  on  the  corner,  nearly  opposite  the 
former  residence  of  Francis  A.  Sanford.  He  was  an 
active  Whig,  and  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  British 
on  their  march  to  Danbury  in  1777.  He  had  a  son 
Daniel,  and  two  or  three  daughters,  of  whom  I  have 
no  record.  His  son  Daniel  was  a  merchant  for  a 
while  on  Redding  Ridge  and  then  removed  to  New 
Haven,  where  some  of  his  children  are  now  living. 

BURR. 

AMONG  the  earliest  settlers  of  Redding  were  Jehu. 
Stephen,  and  Peter  Burr,  sons  of  Daniel  Burr,  of 
Fairfield,  and  brothers  of  the  Rev.  Aaron  Burr, 
President  of  Princeton  College.  They  -all  appear  at 
about  the  same  time,  viz.,  1730.  In  October  of  that 
year  Stephen  Burr  was  elected  a  member  of  the  first 
Society  Committee  of  the  parish.  He  married  Eliza- 
beth Hull  June  8th,  1721.  Children  :  Grace,  born 
December  12th,  1724.  Elizabeth,  born  January 
17th,  1728.  Hezekiah,  born  September  1st,  1730. 
Sarah,  born  November  9th,  1732.  Martha,  born 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  185 

March  24th,  1735.  Esther,  born  February  5th,  1743. 
Rebecca.  He  married,  second,  Abigail  Hall,  of  New 
Jersey.  He  lived  in  a  house  that  stood  where  Dr. 
Gorham  later  built  his  residence.  His  only  son,  Hez- 
ekiah,  died  December,  1785,  unmarried.  Of  the 
daughters,  Grace  married  Daniel  Gold,  Elizabeth 
married  Reuben  Squire,  Sarah  married  Joseph 
Jackson,  Martha  married  Zacariah  Summers. 
Esther  married  Antony  Angevine,  and  Rebecca,  Seth 
Sanford.  Deacon  Stephen  Burr  died  in  1779.  Of 
him  Colonel  Aaron  Burr  wrote  in  his  journal  in 
Paris  :  "  My  uncle  Stephen  lived  on  milk  punch, 
and  at  the  age  of  eighty-six  mounted  by  the  stirrup 
a  very  gay  horse,  and  galloped  off  with  me  twelve 
miles  without  stopping,  and  was  I  thought  less 
fatigued  than  I." 

Peter  Burr  first  appears  in  Redding  as  clerk  of  a 
society  meeting  held  October  llth,  1730.  His  chil- 
dren were :  Ellen,  baptized  September  19,  1734. 
Sarah,  baptized  February  21st,  1736.  Ezra,  bap- 
tized January  2d,  1737.  Edmund,  baptized  Septem- 
ber 28th,  1761.  Peter  Burr  died  in  August,  1779. 
His  children  shortly  after  removed  to  Virginia. 

Jehu  Burr  and  wife  were  admitted  to  church-mem- 
bership in  Redding  December  24th,  1738.  None  of 
his  children  were  recorded  in  Redding,  and  none,  so 
far  as  known,  settled  there.  He  owned  property  in 
Fairfield,  and  probably  spent  the  last  years  of  his 
life  there. 

Jabez  Burr,  son  of  Joseph  Burr,  of  Fairfield,  and 
his  wife  Elizabeth,  appear  in  Redding  as  early  as 
1743.  Their  children  were  Elijah,  baptized  May 
15th,  1743.  Nathan,  born  January  1st,  1745.  Ja- 


186  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

bez,  -  -  Ezekiel,  born  March  23d,  1755.  Stephen, 
born  January  16th,  1757.  Joel,  born  September 
9th,  1759.  Eunice,  Huldah,  and  Hannah.  Jabez 
Burr  died  in  1770.  He  is  said  to  have  settled  in  the 
Saugatuck  Valley,  near  the  present  residence  of  Ste- 
phen Burr,  and  to  have  built  there  the  first  grist-mill 
in  the  town.  Of  his  children,  Elijah  married  Roda 
Sanford,  April  2d,  1767,  and  had  children — Lemuel 
and  Elizabeth  ;  and  by  a  second  wife — Eunice  Haw- 
ley,  married  April  27th,  1773 — Joseph,  Roda,  John 
(who  died  of  yellow-fever  in  the  West  Indies),  and 
Lucy,  who  married  Jonathan  Knapp,  of  Redding. 
Nathan,  the  second  son,  removed  to  Pawlings, 
Dutchess  Co.,  N.  Y.,  in  1792,  and  there  founded  a 
numerous  and  wealthy  family.  Jabez,  the  third 
son,  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Paul  Bartram,  and  re- 
moved to  Clarendon,  Vt.,  in  1786.  He  had  one  son, 
Aaron.  Ezekiel,  married  Huldah  Merchant,  of  Red- 
ding, who  bore  him  three  children  :  Aaron,  who 
lived  and  died  in  the  house  now  owned  by  Captain 
Davis  ;  William,  who  removed  to  Kentucky  in  1816  ; 
and  Huldah,  who  married  Daniel  Mallory  in  1806, 
and  removed  to  the  West. 

A  son  of  AVilliam  Burr  is  now  President  of  the  St. 
Louis  National  Bank.  Another  son,  George,  a  tel- 
ler in  the  same  institution,  was  the  companion  of 
Prof.  Wise  in  his  late  fatal  balloon  expedition,  and 
shared  the  fate  of  the  aeronaut.  Stephen  Burr  mar- 
ried Mary  Griffin,  of  Redding.  His  children  were  : 
Clara,  Mary,  Stephen,  and  Ezekiel.  Joel  Burr  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  Gold  and  settled  in  Ballston  Springs, 
N.  Y. 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  187 


BUEKITT. 

WILLIAM  BURRITT  and  wife  were  admitted  mem- 
bers of  the  cliurch  December  9th,  1739.  No  hint  of 
their  previous  residence  is  given.  Their  children  re- 
corded at  Redding  were  :  Mary,  baptized  December 
16th,  1739.  Abijali,  January  18th,  1741.  Roda, 
October  24,  1742.  Sybil,  February  19,  1744.  Ger- 
shom  Burritt  appears  at  the  same  time.  His  son 
Solomon  was  baptized  August  5th,  1739.  Noah, 
January  31st,  1742.  Nathaniel,  October  17th,  1743. 
Isaac,  July  21st,  1745. 

BURTON. 

BENJAMIN,  son  of  Solomon  Burton,  baptized  De 
cember  19th,  1742.     Ruth,  daughter,  baptized  Octo- 
ber 7th,  1744.     Solomon  Burton  and  wife,  church 
members  July  5th,  1741. 

CHATMELD. 

SAMUEL  CIIATFIELD  and  wife  were  admitted 
church  members  July  29th,  1733.  Their  children 
recorded  were  :  Samuel,  baptized  July  29th,  1733. 
Daniel,  baptized  August  31st,  1735.  Sarah,  April 
17th,  1737.  Martha,  baptized  May  20th,  1739. 

COUCH. 

CAPTAIN  SAMUEL  COUCH,  of  Pah-field,  was  one  of 
the  largest  landholders  in  Redding  at  one  time,  and 
was  largely  instrumental  in  its  settlement.  He  was, 
however,  never  resident  here.  Ebenezer  Couch  ap- 
pears here  as  early  as  1739.  His  children  recorded 
were  :  Daniel,  baptized  July  29th,  1739.  Adea,  bap- 


188  HISTORY  OF  REDDIXG 

tized  September  19th,  1742.  Elijah,  baptized  July 
26th,  1747.  Thesde,  January  26th,  1755. 

The  following  children  of  John  Couch  and  his 
wife  Elizabeth  are  recorded  :  John,  baptized  March 
20th,  1748.  Stephen,  January  21st,  1753.  Adria, 
baptized  April  20th,  1755.  Elizabeth,  baptized  July 
17th,  1757.  Samuel,  baptized  August  30th,  1758. 

At  an  early  day,  nearly  the  entire  district  of  Couch's 
Hill  was  purchased  by  Mr.  Simon  Couch,  of  Fair- 
Held,  who  gave  his  name  to  the  district  purchased. 
His  wife  was  Abigail  Hall,  a  member  of  a  notable 
Fairfield  family.  His  will,  dated  March  2d,  1712-13, 
is  still  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Nash  Couch,  of 
Couch's  Hill,  who  is  a  lineal  descendant.  In  this  will 
he  gives  his  "Negro  man  Jack"  and  "negro  maid 
Jinne"  to  his  wife,  in  addition  to  other  bequests. 
His  children  mentioned  in  the  will  were  :  Simon,  Jr., 
Thomas,  Abigail,  Hannah,  Sarah,  Isabel,  and  Deborah. 
Thomas  was  lost  at  sea  while  on  a  voyage  to  Eng- 
land. Simon  settled  on  his  father's  estate  in  Red- 
ding ;  married,  January  27th,  1753,  Rebecca,  daugh- 
ter of  Captain  Thomas  Nash,  of  Fairfield.  Their 
children,  as  given  in  the  genealogy  of  the  Nash  fam- 
ily, were  :  Abigail,  baptized  February  10th,  1754  ; 
died  young.  Simon,  born  May  18th,  1755  ;  settled 
at  Green's  Farms.  Thomas  Nash,  born  April  18th, 
1758  ;  settled  in  Redding.  Rebecca,  born  January 
31st,  1761.  Abigail,  baptized  January  27th,  1765. 
Lydia,  born  October  20th,  1767.  Deacon  Simon 
Couch  died  April  25th,  1809. 

Thomas  Couch,  of  Fairfield,  removed  to  Redding 
prior  to  the  Revolution,  and  settled  on  Umpavvaug 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  189 

Hill.  He  married,  April  2d,  1772,  Sarah,  daughter 
of  Jonathan  Nash,  of  Fairfield.  Their  children  were  : 
Sarah,  born  August  9th,  1773  ;  died  young.  Thomas, 
born  September  23d,  1774.  Jonathan,  born  Febru- 
ary 13th,  1777,  who  was  the  father  of  Major- General 
Couch,  distinguished  in  the  AVar  of  the  Rebellion. 
Sarah,  born  September  18th,  1779.  Nathan,  born 
September  25th,  1781.  Esther,  born  December  14th, 
1783.  Moses,  born  October  2d,  1786.  Edward, 
born  March  7th,  1789.  Hezekiah,  born  March  14th, 
1791.  Mary,  born  April  21st,  1793.  John,  born 
July  28th,  1705.  Mr.  Thomas  Couch  died  in  Red- 
ding in  1817. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution  Thomas  Couch 
enlisted  in  the  patriot  army,  and  was  one  of  the  band 
of  heroes  who  were  present  with  Montgomery  at  the 
siege  of  Quebec.  He  left  his  wife  with  their  young 
children  in  Fairfield.  AVhen  Tryon  moved  on  that 
town,  Mrs.  Couch  had  what  furniture  and  grain  she 
could  gather  put  into  an  ox  cart  drawn  by  two 
yoke  of  oxen,  and  started  for  Redding,  where  she 
owned  land  in  her  own  right.  She  followed  on 
horseback,  carrying  her  two  children  in  her  arms. 
At  the  close  of  the  war,  Thomas  joined  his  wife  in 
Redding,  where  they  continued  to  reside  until  death. 

Simon  Couch,  brother  of  Thomas,  settled  in  Red- 
ding, on  Umpawaug  Hill,  about  the  same  time.  He 
married,  January  7th,  1776,  Eleanor,  daughter  of 
Jonathan  Xash,  of  Fairfield.  Their  children  were  : 
Elizabeth,  born  October  9th,  1776.  Jessup,  born 
August  3d,  1778.  Seth,  born  August  31st,  1780. 
Eleanor,  bom  August  26th,  1782.  Simon,  born  De- 
cember 1st,  1784.  Nash,  born  April  23d,  1787. 


190  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

Priscilla,  born  June  27th,  1790.  Edward,  born  July 
14th,  1792.  Simon  A.,  born  December  6th,  1794. 
Caroline,  born  June  23d,  1801.  Simon  Couch  died 
April  16th,  1829.  Of  the  children,  Simon  and  Jessup 
graduated  at  Yale  College.  Jessup  graduated  in 
1802,  and  in  1804  removed  to  Chillicothe,  Ohio,  where 
he  practised  law  until  his  appointment  as  Judge  of 
the  Superior  Court  of  Ohio  in  1815.  This  office  he 
continued  to  hold  until  his  death  in  1821.  In  the 
AVar  of  1812  he  was  also  aide-de-camp  to  Governor 
Meigs,  of  Ohio,  and  bearer  of  dispatches  to  General 
HuU. 

Simon  Couch,  his  brother,  settled  at  Marion,  Ohio, 
where  he  practised  medicine  until  his  death  in 
1826. 

DARLING. 

EUNICE,  daughter  of  Joseph  Darling,  baptized 
January  25  th,  1736.  Benjamin,  baptized  April 
13th,  1738.  Martha,  January  llth,  1741.  Joseph, 
baptized  November,  1743. 

FAIRCHILD. 

Tno3iAS  FAIRCIIILD  removed  to  Redding  from 
Norwalk  in  1733  ;  was  one  of  the  original  members  of 
the  church.  His  wife  Mary  was  admitted  January 
29th,  1738.  Their  children  recorded  were  :  Timothy 
and  AVilliam,  baptized  October  22d,  1738.  Sarah, 
April  12th,  1741.  Abijah,  May  27th,  1744.  Mary, 
October  27th,  1745. 

Abraham  Fail-child,  probably  brother  of  above, 
came  from  ISTorwalk  in  1746,  and  built  the  first  full- 
ing-mill in  the  town,  near  the  site  later  occupied  by 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  191 

Deacon  Foster's  woollen-mill.  His  wife  was  Sarah 
Scribner,  of  Norwalk.  Their  children  were  :  Abra- 
ham, bom  January  1st,  1745 ;  died  aged  17  years. 
Ezekiel,  bom  October  26th,  1746.  Daniel,  born  De- 
cember 26th,  1748.  Isaac,  born  March  4th,  1751. 
David,  born  June  5th,  1753.  Samuel,  born  July 
9th,  1755.  Stephen,  born  March  7th,  1758.  Rachel, 
born  February  2d,  1761.  John,  born  March  15th, 
1764.  Ellen,  born  October  16th,  1767.  Six  of  these 
brothers  were  in  the  Revolutionary  army  at  one 
time.  David  was  captured  by  the  British,  and  con- 
lined  in  Trinity  Church,  New  York.  The  small-pox 
was  communicated  to  the  prisoners — it  is  said  with 
design,  and  he  with  many  others  died  of  the  disease. 
Stephen  was  wounded  at  Ridgefield,  but  recovered  : 
married  Lizzie  Fitch,  of  Wilton.  Their  children  were  : 
Daniel,  Kier,  Isaac,  Ellen,  and  Stephen.  Ezekiel 
married  Eunice  Andrews  ;  had  four  children,  Abra- 
ham, Sarah,  Abigail,  and  Burr.  Daniel  married 
Betsey  Mead,  and  removed  to  the  West.  Isaac  mar- 
ried Rachel  Banks,  and  removed  to  Liberty,  N.  Y. 
Samuel  married  Xabbie  P]att,  of  Redding,  and  had 
two  children,  Aaron  and  Betsey.  John  married 
Abigail  Wakeman,  of  Weston.  Their  children  were  : 
Eli,  David,  Rachel,  Moses,  Henry,  and  Eliza.  David 
married  Charlotte  Gayer,  of  Weston.  Their  children 
were  :  Eli,  William,  David,  Mary,  and  John.  Rachel 
married  Seth  Andrews,  of  Redding.  Ellen  married 
Minott  Thomas,  a  Baptist  clergyman. 

Stephen,  Samuel,  and  John  built  a  grist  mill  at  an 
early  day  on  the  site  of  the  one  later  known  as 
Tread  well's  mill.  It  was  carried  off  by  the  great 
freshet  of  1807,  and  the  large  stock  of  grain  it  con- 


193  HISTORY  OF  BEDDING. 

rained  was  scattered  over  the  meadows  below.  They 
also  owned  a  saw- mill  just  below,  and  sawed  plank 
for  the  soldiers'  huts  in  the  Revolution. 

FOSTER. 

REGINALD  FOSTER,  the  founder  of  the  family  in 
America,  came  to  this  country  in  1638  with  his  five 
sons,  Abraham,  Reginald,  William,  Isaac,  and  Jacob, 
and  settled  at  Ipswich,  Essex  Co.,  Mass.  Jacob 
Foster  was  the  ancestor  of  the  Redding  family.  Jo- 
nah Foster  settled  in  Redding  about  1775  ;  married 
Hannah  Benedict,  of  Ridgefield,  and  shortly  after  re- 
moved to  that  town,  and  there  resided  until  his  death 
in  1815.  His  son,  Joel  Foster,  was  born  in  Redding 
November  8th,  1780,  and  lived  in  Ridgefield  with  his 
parents  until  his  marriage  with  Esther  Seymour  in 
1802.  In  1803  he  removed  to  Redding,  and  bought 
of  Moses  Fox  a  small  place,  on  which  was  a  fulling- 
mill  and  other  conveniences  for  cheapening  cloths. 
This  mill  stood  a  little  below  the  present  bridge  over 
Nobb's  Crook  brook,  and  the  ruins  of  its  dam  are 
still  to  be  seen.  In  1804,  Mr.  Foster  built  an  addi- 
tion to  his  fulling-mill  building,  which  was  leased 
to  Zalmon  Toucey,  of  JSTewtown,  and  in  which  Toucey 
erected  a  carding  machine,  paying  a  yearly  rent  of 
twenty  dollars. 

How  long  Mr.  Toucey 's  lease  continued  is  not 
known,  but  he  probably  soon  relinquished  it  to  Joel 
Foster,  as  the  latter  continued  the  business  until 
about  the  time  of  the  opening  of  the  War  of  1812, 
when  a  company  was  formed,  styled  Comstock,  Fos- 
ter &  Co.,  who  built  a  woollen  factory  a  few  rods 
below  the  old  fulling-mill,  and  continued  the  manu- 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  193 

facture  of  woollen  goods  during  the  entire  period  of 
the  war,  being  very  successful.  The  company,  a  few 
years  after  the  war,  was  bought  out  by  Joel  Foster, 
who  continued  the  business  until  the  burning  of  his 
factory  in  1843  or  1844,  when  he  retired.  Mr.  Foster 
died  in  1854,  aged  seventy-four  years.  He  had  four 
children,  all  born  in  Redding  :  Daniel,  Betsey,  Eliza, 
and  Charles  F. 

GOLD. 

DANIEL,  SAMUEL,  and  STEPHEN  GOLD  (now  writ- 
ten Gould),  brothers,  members  of  a  Fairneld  family 
that  hal  been  prominent  in  church  and  state  for 
several  generations,  were  among  the  early  settlers  of 
the  town,  though  none  of  their  descendants  are  now 
found  among  us.  Daniel  appears  first :  he  married 
Grace,  daughter  of  Deacon  Stephen  Burr,  and  lived 
where  James  Lord  now  lives.  His  children,  as  named 
in  the  will  of  Deacon  Burr,  were  :  Abigail,  who  mar- 
ried Richard  Nichols.  Esther,  who  married  Nathan- 
iel Northrop.  Sarah,  who  married  David  Turney. 
Mary,  who  married  Seth  Price  ;  and  Elizabeth. 

Samuel  Gold  settled  in  Lonetown,  and  built  the 
house  now  owned  by  Seth  Todd.  He  was  a,  soldier 
in  the  Revolution,  and  was  wounded  at  the  skirmish 
in  Ridgefield.  Some  of  the  officers  of  Putnam's 
command  had  their  quarters  at  Mr.  Gold's  during 
their  encampment  in  Redding.  He  married  Sarah 
Platt,  of  Redding.  Their  children  were  :  Hezekiah, 
Daniel,  Burr,  Aaron,  Sarah,  Polly,  and  Grace.  Ste- 
phen Gold  settled  on  the  farm  later  owned  by  Tim- 
othy Platt  in  Lonetown.  He  is  called  captain  in  the 
14 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

records.     He  did  not  long  remain  a  resident  of  Red- 
ding, but  returned,  it  is  said,  to  Greenfield. 

GORHAM. 

ISAAC  GORHAM  and  his  wife  Ann  first  appear  on 
the  parish  records  January  25th,  1762,  when  their 
son  Isaac  was  baptized.  There  is  no  hint  of  their 
former  residence,  but  they  were  probably  from  Fair- 
iield.  I  find  no  further  record  of  children. 

GRAY. 

DANIEL  GRAY  and  wife  were  admitted  church  - 
members  December  5th,  1742.  John  Gray  and  wife 
February  9th,  1744,  on  the  recommendation  of  Rev. 
Mr.  Dickinson,  of  Norwalk. 

The  only  child  of  Daniel  Gray  recorded  was 
James,  baptized  May  8th,  1743.  The  children  of 
John  Gray  were  :  Hannah,  baptized  July  1st,  1744. 
Joseph,  July  15th,  1753.  Eunice,  January  2d, 
1755,  and  (by  a  second  wife,  Ruamah),  Eunice,  bap- 
tized April  13th,  1760  ;  and  Joel,  September  llth, 
1763. 

Stephen,  son  of  Stephen  and  Sarah  Gray,  was 
baptized  May  10th,  1747.  Also  Huldah,  a  daughter, 
December  14th,  1760.  Hannah,  October  3d,  1762  ; 
and  Sarah,  June  17th,  1764.  James  Gray,  only  son 
of  Daniel,  married  Mabel  Phinney  February  9th, 
1764.  Their  children  were :  Jesse,  baptized  April 
14th,  1765  ;  perhaps  others. 

GRIFFIN. 

JOHN  GRIFFIN  appears  in  Redding  as  early  as 
1736.  His  children  were  :  Sarah,  baptized  May  9th, 
1736.  Annie,  baptized  October  22d.  1738  ;  and  Jon  ( 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  195 

athan,  baptized  November  23d,  1746.     He  settled  in 
West  Redding,  near  the  Danbury  line. 

HALL. 

THE  Halls  were  among  the  earliest  settlers  in  Red- 
ding, the  name  appearing  on  the  earliest  petitions 
from  the  parish.  In  1730,  at  the  distribution  of  the 
estate  of  Samuel  Hall,  he  is  said  to  be  of  Chestnut 
Ridge,  in  Reading.  His  children  as  given  were  : 
Ebenezer,  Johanna,  Jemima,  and  Rebecca.  Isaac 
Hall,  whose  farm  lay  contiguous  to  Samuel's,  was 
one  of  the  original  church-members,  and  was  recom- 
mended by  Rev.  Mr.  Chapman.  He  died  in  1741. 
Asa  Hall  and  Rachel  his  wife  were  admitted  March 
23d,  1736,  on  the  same  recommendation.  I  find  no 
mention  of  children. 

HAWLEY. 

JOSEPH  HAWLEY  and  wife  were  admitted  church- 
members  in  December,  1740,  on  recommendation  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Gold,  of  Stratford.  Their  children  recorded 
were  :  Mary,  baptized  February  7th,  1742.  Ruth, 
November  5th,  1746.  Eunice,  October  25th,  1750. 
Joseph  Hawley  died  December  12th,  1771,  aged  sixty- 
six  years.  William  Hawley,  who  appears  in  Red- 
ding as  early  as  1762,  was  probably  his  son.  He  lived 
where  James  Miller  now  lives  ;  married  Lydia,  daugh- 
ter of  Captain  ^Thomas  Nash,  of  Fairfield,  July 
12th,  1758.  Their  children  were  :  Lydia,  died  in  in- 
fancy. Joseph,  born  June  23d,  1762  ;  settled  in  Red- 
ding. Lydia,  born  December  13th,  1763  ;  married 
Aaron  Sanford,  of  Redding.  William,  died  in  infancy. 
Bille,  born  February  9fch,  1767,  removed  to  the 


196  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

West.  Hezekiah,  died  in  infancy.  Hezekiah,  bom 
March  10th,  1772.  Lemuel,  died  young,  of  small- 
pox. William  Hawley,  died  February  16th,  1797. 
Mrs.  Lydia  Hawley  died  April  26th,  1812. 


HILL. 


THE  founder  in  America  of  this  family  was  Wil- 
liam Hill,  who  on  his  arrival  here  about  1632  settled 
first  at  Dorchester,  Mass.,  and  shortly  after  removed 
to  Windsor,  on  the  Connecticut  River,  where  he 
bought  land  and  set  out  an  orchard.  At  an  early 
day  he  removed  to  Fairfield,  and  was  among  the 
early  settlers  of  that  town.  He  died  in  1650.  His 
children  were :  Sarah,  William,  Joseph,  Ignatius, 
James,  and  Elizabeth.  William,  the  second  child, 
married  Elizabeth  -  — .  Their  children  were  :  Sarah, 
William,  Joseph,  John,  Eliphalet,  Ignatius,  and 
James.  William,  the  third,  married  -  — ,  and  had 
children,  Sarah,  William,  Joseph,  and  David.  Wil- 
liam Hill,  the  fourth,  married  Sarah  -  — .  Their 
children  were  :  Joseph,  William,  and  David.  Deacon 
Joseph  Hill,  born  April  1,  1699;  married  Abigail 
Dimon  March  30th,  1731.  The  children  of  this  mar- 
riage were  :  Abigail,  born  March  21st,  1732.  Sarah, 
born  August  21st,  1733.  David,  born  April  22d, 
1737.  Ebenezer,  born  February  26th,  1742.  Jabez, 
born  June  17th,  1744,  and  Moses,  born  January 
llth,  1748.  Of  the  sons,  only  Ebenezer,  Jabez, 
a,nd  Moses  married.  Ebenezer  married  Mabel 
Sherwood  January  17th,  1765.  Their  children 
were :  David,  Elenezer,  Seth,  Dimon,  Joseph,  Ma- 
bel, Eleanor,  Jab3z,  and  Esther.  Ebenezer,  his 
seconl  son,  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Nathaniel 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  197 

Barlow,  brother  of  the  poet,  in  May,  1791.  He  re- 
moved to  Redding  early  in  life,  and  settled  in  Boston 
district.  His  children  were:  Mabel,  Nathaniel  B., 
Gershom,  Ebenezer,  Moses,  and  Jabez.  Jabez  Hill, 
son  of  Deacon  Joseph  Hill,  settled  in  Weston  ;  was  a 
major  in  the  army  of  the  Revolution  ;  married  Sarah, 
daughter  of  Colonel  John  Read,  of  Redding.  The 
children  of  this  marriage  were  :  Sarah,  John  Read, 
and  Moses.  Sarah  married  Timothy  Platt,  of  Red- 
ding. John  Read  settled  in  Redding  at  an  early 
day,  and  became  one  of  its  wealthiest  and  best  known 
residents.  He  began  his  business  career  by  engag- 
ing in  the  manufacture  of  lime  as  before  narrated, 
and  on  his  retirement  in  1823  purchased  the 
"manor"  of  his  grandfather,  Colonel  John  Read, 
where  lie  continued  to  reside  until  his  death  in  1851. 
He  married,  March  23d,  1799,  Betsy,  daughter  of 
Aaron  Sanford,  of  Redding.  Their  children  were  : 
Aaron  Sanford,  Moses,  William  Hawley,  Betsy, 
John  Lee,  Morris,  Lydia,  and  Joseph. 

Moses  Hill,  son  of  Deacon  Joseph  Hill,  married 
Esther,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  Burr,  of  Fairfield,  June 
17th,  1773.  The  children  by  this  marriage  were : 
William,  Abigail,  and  Esther.  William  married 
Betsey,  daughter  of  Nathaniel  Barlow,  brother  of 
the  poet,  and  had  children,  Bradley,  Abigail,  Hor- 
ace, Burr,  and  William. 

HERON. 

IN  Revolutionary  days  and  before,  Squire  Heron 
lived  in  the  now  ancient  house  on  Redding  Ridge, 
just  south  of  the  Episcopal  church.  He  was  a  na- 
tive of  Cork,  Ireland  ;  a  graduate  of  Trinity  College, 


198  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

Dublin  ;  and  a  man  of  much  ability  and  force  of 
character.  It  is  said  that  he  had  taught  the  Acad- 
emy in  Greenfield  Hill  before  coming  to  Redding, 
and  had  also  surveyed  the  old  stage  route  from  New 
York  to  Boston.  I  cannot  determine  the  precise 
date  of  his  arrival  here,  but  it  was  some  time  prior 
to  the  Revolution.  In  that  memorable  struggle  he 
sided  with  the  king,  and  was  the  recognized  leader 
of  the  company  of  Tories  on  Redding  Ridge.  At 
the  time  of  Try  on1  s  invasion  he  openly  gave  aid  and 
comfort  to  the  enemy.  After  the  war  he  became  a 
prominent  character  in  the  town,  and  although 
somewhat  bigoted,  and  imbued  with  the  Old  World 
notions  of  caste  and  social  distinctions,  is  said  to 
have  exercised  a  great  deal  of  influence  in  public 
affairs,  especially  at  town  meetings.  "We  must 
keep  down  the  underbrush"  was  a  favorite  remark 
of  his  in  speaking  of  the  common  people.  The  fol- 
lowing story,  illustrating  in  a  marked  manner  the 
customs  of  the  day,  is  related  of  him  : 

At  one  of  the  annual  town  meetings  Mr.  Hezekiah 
Morgan,  a  somewhat  illiterate  man,  was  nominated 
for  grand  juror.  Squire  Heron,  in  laced  waistcoat, 
ruffles,  and  velvet  breeches,  and  aiding  himself  with 
his  gold-headed  cane,  arose  to  oppose  the  motion. 
' '  Mr.  Moderator, "  said  he, "  who  is  this  Kier  Morgan '( 
Why,  a  man  brought  up  in  Hopewell  woods  :  he 
fears  neither  God,  man,  nor  the  devil.  If  elected, 
who  will  be  responsible  for  his  acts  ?  Will  you,  Mr. 
Moderator  ?  or  I  ?  W^hy,  sir,  he  can  arrest  anybody  : 
he  can  arrest  your  Honor,  or  even  myself  ;"  and  with 
like  cogent  reasons  succeeded  in  defeating  the  ob- 
noxious candidate. 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  199 

Squire  Heron  died  January  8th,  1819,  aged 
seventy-seven  years,  and  is  buried  in  the  old  Epis- 
copal churchyard  on  Redding  Ridge.  *  His  children 
were :  William,  Maurice,  Elizabeth,  Lucy,  Elosia, 
Margaret,  and  Susan.  William  never  married.  He 
lived  on  the  old  homestead  in  Redding  all  his  days, 
and  was  a  man  much  respected  in  the  community. 
His  brother  Maurice  graduated  at  Yale  College,  and 
shortly  after  was  killed  by  a  steamboat  explosion 
on  the  Connecticut  River,  near  Essex. 

HULL. 

THE  Hull  family  are  recorded  in  the  Herald's  Dis- 
tinction of  Devon  as  a  very  ancient  family  of  Devon- 
shire, but  the  original  name,  De  La  Hulle,  in  Shrop- 
shire, in  the  reign  of  Edward  II.,  indicates  that  they 
went  from  the  Continent  to  England,  probably  from 
Normandy.  Shortly  after  the  Pilgrims  landed,  in 
Plymouth,  five  brothers  named  Hull  came  to  Mas- 
sachusetts from  England,  viz.,  John,  George,  Rich- 
ard, Joseph,  and  Robert. 

George,  who  was  the  ancestor  of  the  Hulls  of 
Redding,  appears  in  Dorchester,  Mass.,  in  1630  ;  re- 
moved to  Windsor,  Conn.,  and  afterward  to  Fairfield  ; 
died  in  August,  1659.  His  will,  dated  August  25, 
1659,  mentions  sons  Josias  and  Cornelius,  and  several 
daughters.  His  son  Cornelius  married  Rebecca, 
daughter  of  Rev.  John  Joanes,  the  first  minister  of 
Fairfield,  who  was  of  Welsh  origin.  His  will,  of  the 
date  September  16, 1695,  mentions  three  sons,  Sam- 
uel, Cornelius,  and  Theophilus  ;  and  three  daughters, 
Rebecca,  Sarah,  the  wife  of  Robert  Silliman,  and 
Martha,  wife  of  Cornelius  Stratton.  The  children  of 


200  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

Cornelius  were :  George,  Sarah,  Rebecca,  Nathaniel, 
Ebenezer,  Elizabeth,  John,  Martha,  Eleanor,  and  Cor- 
nelius. Deacon  George  Hull  was  one  of  the  fathers 
of  the  infant  settlement.  He  was  moderator  of  the 
first  parish  meeting,  a  member  of  the  first  parish 
committee,  and  first  deacon  of  the  church  in  Red- 
ding. He  also  appears  on  numerous  committees. 
He  and  his  wife,  Ebenezer  and  wife,  and  Theophilus 
and  wife  were  among  the  original  church  members 
in  1733.  John  Hull  was  admitted  April  18,  1736. 
All  of  them  removed  here  from  Greenfield  Hill. 
George,  Ebenezer,  and  Cornelius  must  have  come  to 
Redding  prior  to  1733,  for  their  names  appear  in  a 
petition  to  fix  upon  a  site  for  a  meeting-house  in 
1725.  By  a  deed  dated  Danbury,  May  19,  1729, 
a  tract  of  land  lying  in  Chestnut  Ridge,  between 
Danbury  and  Fairfield,  is  conveyed  to  George  Hull 
and  heirs  by  Jonathan  Squires. 

George  Hull's  children  recorded  in  Redding  are  : 
Seth,  baptized  July  29,  1733 ;  and  Rebecca,  May 
25,  1735.  He  died  February  9,  1769,  aged  83. 
Seth  Hull  married  Elizabeth  Mallory,  his  neice- 
Children  recorded  in  Redding  are :  Abagail,  born 
January  28, 1762  ;  Jonathan,  October  25, 1763,  Eliph- 
alet,  December  18,  1765 ;  Walter,  November  21, 
1767 ;  Lazarus,  January  16,  1770 ;  Hezekiah,  March 
24,  1792  ;  and  Martha,  April  28,  1794.  Besides  these 
were  Elizabeth  and  Sarah ;  Martha  married  David 
Belden,  an  Episcopal  clergyman  ;  Jonathan  married 
Eunice  Beach,  and  was  the  father  of  Rev.  Lemuel  B. 
Hull,  former  rector  of  Christ  Church  in  Redding. 
Seth  Hull  died  April  5,  1795. 

Nathaniel   Hull    was  born  in  1695,   and    reared 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  201 

Sarah,  Elizabeth,  Esther,  Stephen,  Nathaniel,  Peter, 
Ezekiel,  David,  Aaron,  Silas,  and  Hannah. 

The  children  of  Silas  Hull  were  :  Hannah,  Huldah, 
and  Bradley.  Bradley' s  children  were  :  Burr,  Pa- 
nielia,  Charry,  Silas,  Aaron  B.,  Charles,  Mary,  Brad- 
ley H.,  Chapman,  Le  Grand,  and  Cornelia. 

The  children  of  Ebenezer  were  :  Daniel,  Ebenezer, 
Nehemiah,  and  Abagail.  Daniel  married  Mary 
Betts,  and  removed  from  Redding  to  Berlin,  Rens- 
selaer  County,  N.  Y.,  in  1770,  and  was  one  of 
the  first  settlers  of  that  town.  He  died  August  26, 
1811,  aged  89  years.  He  had  ten  children,  viz., 
Martha.,  Hezekiah,  Justus,  Abagail,  Peter,  Esther, 
Daniel,  'Stephen,  Harry,  and  Ebenezer. 

Of  these  children  all  but  the  two  last  named  were 
born  in  Redding.  Justus  was  one  of  the  first  minis- 
ters of  the  Second  Baptist  Church  in  Danbury,  and 
is  reputed  to  have  been  a  preacher  of  more  than  or- 
dinary ability.  He  was  in  the  ministry  fifty -six 
years,  and  died  at  Berlin,  IS".  Y.,  May  29, 1833,  at  the 
age  of- 78.  His  children  were,  Justus  P.  Emmerson, 
Polly  Ann,  and  Alonzo  Grandison.  The  last  named 
is  a  physician,  and  resides  in  New  York.  He  was  a 
successful  practitioner  in  London  twelve  years. 
Ebenezer  married  and  emigrated  to  the  West.  His 
descendants  reside  in  Iowa,  Nebraska,  and  other 
Western  States.  Nehemiah  died  a  bachelor. 

John  Hull  removed  to  Redding  when  in  middle 
life.  He  went  with  the  Provincial  troops  in  the  ex- 
pedition against  Cuba  in  1641,  and  fell  a  victim  to  the 
yellow-fever  with  nearly  a  thousand  others  of  the 
sturdy  sons  of  New  England.  He  directed  that  his 
musket,  carried  in  the  wars,  should  be  sent  home  to 


202  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

his  eldest  son  Timothy  ;  lie  to  leave  it  to  liis  eldest 
son,  and  that  it  should  descend  in  this  manner  to 
the  eldest  son  as  long  as  it  existed.  Thus  it  has  fal- 
len in  regular  descent  to  Mr.  Aaron  B.  Hull,  of 
Danbury,  the  great  grandson  of  the  original  owner. 
Before  enlisting,  Mr.  Hull  made  his  will,  dated  Sep- 
tember 16,  1740,  in  which  he  mentions  sons  Timothy, 
James,  and  John,  and  daughters  Anna,  Abagail,  and 
Esther.  Timothy  was  born  September  4,  172o,  and 
married  Anna,  daughter  of  John  Gray,  December 
14,  1749.  He  died  April  29, 1800.  His  children  were 
Hannah,  born  July  27,  1751,  married  Samuel  Mai- 
lory,  and  died  in  Danbury,  September  4,  1886. 
Sarah,  born  February  5,  1754,  married  John  Fair- 
child  and  emigrated  west.  Ezra,  born  April  5,  1756, 
and  died  in  Redding,  March  5,  1837.  He  settled 
in  Boston  school  district.  He  married  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Oneslmus  Coley.  His  children  were : 
Eunice,  born  July  6,  1785,  married  Hiram  Jackson  ; 
died  in  Kingston,  N.  Y.,  May  3,  1862.  Laura,  born 
August  4, 1788,  married  John  Eckert,  and  died  in 
Springfield,  Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  November  17, 
1865.  Polly,  born  November  29, 1798,  died  in  Kings- 
ton, N.  Y.,  September  28,  1876.  Elizabeth,  the  wife 
of  Ezra  Hull,  died  February  28,  1809 ;  he  married 
Widow  Mary  Bradley,  daughter  of  Gershom  Banks, 
of  Fairfield,  June  20,  1810  ;  she  died  in  Wilton, 
April  17,  1854.  The  children  of  this  marriage  were  : 
Ezra  Bradley  and  Charles,  who  both  died  young, 
and  Aaron  B.  Ezra  Hull  served  in  the  Revolutionary 
War,  and  participated  in  those  events  which  trans- 
pired during  Governor  Try  on' s  expedition  to  and 
the  burning  of  Danbury.  Eunice,  fourth  child  of 


UISTORT  OF  REDDING.  203 

Timothy  Hull,  was  born  August  26,  1757,  married 
George  Perry  and  removed  to  Kentucky.  John, 
born  June  26,  1759,  married  Sarah  Fairchild ;  died 
April  7, 1838.  (His  children  were  Aaron,  Ezekiel, 
Hezekiah,  Abraham,  and  Polly.)  Abraham,  born 
March  30,  1761,  died  in  Danbury,  October  29, 
1831.  David,  born  March  22,  1763,  died  in  Red- 
ding, March  19,  1847  ;  he  married  Chloe  Lee,  and 
had  children,  Daniel,  Harry,  and  Lucy.  Samuel, 
born  June  22,  1766.  (He  married  Anna  Wakeman, 
and  had  a  daughter  Eliza,  who  married  Horace  Sta- 
ples, President  of  the  Westport  National  Bank. 
Samuel  Hull  died  in  Redding  July  19, 1846.)  Heze- 
kiah, born  October  22,  1769,  died  in  Danbury,  July 
26,  1852.  Anna,  born  December  7,  1771,  married 
Lemuel  Burr  ;  died  in  Redding,  December  20,  1840. 
Abagail,  born  November  17,  1775,  married  Timothy 
Perry  ;  died  in  Miamisburg,  Ohio,  March  16,  1844. 

The  will  of  James,  the  second  son  of  John  Hull, 
of  the  date  of  April  26,  1799,  mentions  no  children. 
He  died  February  20,  1805,  in  the  seventy-seventh 
year  of  his  age.  John  married  Mollie  Andrews, 
February  3,  1763.  His  children  recorded  are  Elea- 
nor and  Mollie.  His  will,  bearing  date  June  24, 
1815,  mentions  no  children,  but  names  his  "grand- 
son John  Goodyear,  and  the  son  of  his  grandson 
Hull  Goodyear;"  also  two  other  names  not  given, 
but  which  were  undoubtedly  Munson  Goodyear  and 
Ellen,  wife  of  Harry  Meeker. 

Cornelius,  the  youngest  son  of  Cornelius  Hull,  2d, 
and  Abagail,  daughter  of  Robert  Rumsey,  were 
married  August  24,  1731.  Their  children  were  :  Jed- 
edia/f,  Eunice,  Grace,  Eliphalet,  Abigail,  Sarah, 


204  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

and  Ruey.  Jedediah  Hull  was  second  lieuten- 
ant under  Colonel  David  Wooster  in  the  army 
which  invaded  Canada  in  1758.  His  children  were  : 
Denny,  Eunice,  Chapman,  Molly,  Cornelius,  and 
Jedediah.  Denny  and  Chapman  settled  in  Redding. 
The  children  of  the  first  named  were  :  Mary,  Denny, 
Isaac  Plat t,  and  Eunice.  Chapman's  were:  Morris, 
Henry  C.,  and  George. 

The  will  of  Theophilus  Hull,  of  Fairfield,  the 
youngest  son  of  Cornelius,  1st,  dated  June  4,  1710, 
gives  the  names  of  sons  Theophilus,  Eliphalet,  John, 
and  Jabesh,  and  two,  daughters,  Mary  and  Ann. 
Theophilus,  his  oldest  son,  married  Widow  Martha 
Betts,  of  Redding,  January  25,  1759.  His  will,  of 
the  date  December  1,  1785,  names  son  Zalmon,  and 
daughters  Sarah  and  Lydia.  Zalmon' s  sons  were  : 
Hezekiah,  Theophilus  B.,  Henry  L.,  and  his  daugh- 
ters, Lydia  and  Sally. 

The  Redding  records  contain  the  marriage  of 
Nehemiah  Hull  and  Grizzle  Perry,  February  5, 
1767.  Nehemiah,  probably  a  son  of  the  above, 
married  Sarah  Jackson.  Twin  children  were  born 
to  them,  December  7,  1792,  and  were  named  Sally 
Betsey,  and  Betsey  Sally.  The  first  named  married 
Theophilus  B.,  son  of  Zalmon  Hull,  and  the  other 
Morris,  son  of  Chapman  Hull. 

JACKSOX. 

EPIIRAIM  JACKSON  and  his  wife  Martha  removed 
to  Redding  from  Green's  Farms,  Fairfield,  in  1748, 
and  were  admitted  church-members  the  same  year. 
He  died  April  28th,  1765,  aged  sixty-five  years.  The 
children  of  his  son,  Ephraim  Jackson,  were  as  fol- 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING,  205 

lows  :  Aaron,  baptized  November  12th,  1767.  Mol- 
lie,  baptized  July  23d,  1769.  Peter,  September 
8th,  1771.  Hezekiah,  February  27th,  1774.  David 
Jackson  appears  in  Redding  as  early  as  1763  ;  was 
probably  son  of  Ephraim  ;  married  November  18th, 
1762,  Anna  Sanford.  Their  children  were  :  Ezekiel, 
baptized  October  23d,  1763.  David,  February  2d, 
1766.  Anna,  September  30th,  1770  ;  died  in  infancy. 
Anna,  September  14th,  1772  ;  and  by  a  second  wife, 
Esther,  Moses,  baptized  December  llth,  1774  ;  per- 
haps others.  Ezekiel,  son  of  David,  married  Hannah 
Gray,  April  30th,  1786  (Town  record).  Their  chil- 
dren were  :  Anna,  born  December  21st,  1786.  Hiram, 
born  April  22d,  1788.  Samuel,  born  December 
29th,  1789.  Clarissa,  born  December  25th,  1792. 
Laura,  born  February  28th,  1794.  Harriet,  born  De- 
cember 18th,  1795.  Harriet  married  Gideon  H.  Hoi- 
lister,  of  Woodbury,  and  became  the  mother  of  Judge 
Gideon  H.  Hollister,  the  historian  of  Connecticut. 


WILLIAM  LEE  and  wife  were  admitted  church 
members  May  23d,  1742.  Their  children  recorded 
were  :  Daniel,  baptized  January  8th,  1744.  Abijah, 
baptized  September  21st,  1745.  Abigail,  baptized 
May  5th,  1748.  William,  baptized  April  5th,  1753. 
Seth,  baptized  March  23d,  1755. 

Joseph  Lee  and  wife  admitted  May  8th,  1737. 
Their  daughter  Mary  was  baptized  May  8th,  1743. 

LYON. 

AMONG  the  original  members  of  the  church  at  its 
organization  in  1733  appear  the  names  of  Daniel 


206  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

Lion  and  wife,  of  Benjamin  Lion  and  wife — recom- 
mended by  Rev.  Mr.  Gay — and  Richard  Lion  and 
wife.  All  settled  in  the  south-eastern  part  of  the 
town,  near  what  is  now  the  Easton  line.  The  record 
of  their  families  is  as  follows.  Children  of  Daniel 
were:  Jonathan,  baptized  April  12th,  1741.  Chil- 
dren of  Benjamin  were  :  Bethel,  baptized  May  29th, 
1733.  John,  baptized  August  22d,  1736.  Samuel, 
baptized  August  20th,  1738.  Phebe,  baptized  Feb- 
ruary 24th,  1740.  Richard  Lion  died  in  January 
1740,  aged  eighty-seven  years. 

LORD. 

DAVID  LORD  was  admitted  church-member  in 
1744,  recommended  by  Rev.  Mr.  Parsons,  of  Lyme. 
His  children  were  :  David,  baptized  July  8th,  1744. 
Elizabeth,  baptized  March  5th,  1749  ;  perhaps 
others. 

MALLORY. 

JONATHAN  MALLOEY  and  wife  were  admitted 
church-members  December  22d,  1735,  on  recom- 
mendation of  Rev.  Mr.  Chapman.  She  was  Eliza- 
beth Adams.  They  were  married  April  10th,  1735. 
Their  children  were  :  Jonathan,  baptized  January 
llth,  1736.  Eliza,  baptized  December  17th,  1738. 
perhaps  others.  Peter  Mallory  married  Joanna 
Hall  February  28th,  1737.  Children:  Rebecca, 
baptized  February  5th,  1738  ;  died  in  infancy.  Re- 
becca, baptized  January  13th,  1739.  Ebenezer  Mal- 
lory and  Hannah  Keys  were  married  February  6th, 
1744.  No  children  found.  Daniel  Mallory  and 
Sarah  Lee  were  married  November  30th,  1748.  Their 
children  were :  Daniel,  baptized  October  25th,  1750. 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  207 

Nathan,  August  25th,  1754.  Abigail,  April  24th, 
1757.  Sarah,  May  15th,  1763.  Joseph,  baptized 
February  12th,  1767.  Eunice,  daughter  of  Daniel 
Mallory,  Jr. ,  and  his  wife  Rachel,  was  baptized  Sep- 
tember 5th,  1779.  Samuel  and  Charles  Mallory  were 
born  April  6th,  1780.  The  names  of  the  parents  are 
not  given.  Charles  Mallory  was  the  father  of  Ste- 
phen Mallory,  United  States  Senator  from  Florida, 
and  later  Secretary  of  the  Confederate  Navy. 

MEADE. 

STEPIIP;N  MEADE,  the  first  of  the  name  in  Redding, 
appears  as  early  as  1755.  He  married  Rachel  San- 
ford,  daughter  of  Ephraim  Sanford.  Their  children 
were  :  Jeremiah,  born  March  22d,  1752.  Ezra,  bap- 
tized January  19th,  1755.  Hannah,  baptized  May 
9th,  1756.  Esther,  baptized  August  17th,  1760. 
Thaddeus,  baptized  October  25th,  1761.  Stephen, 
baptized  January  24th,  1768.  Stephen  Meade  is 
called  lieutenant  and  captain  in  the  records.  He 
was  a  man  quite  prominent  in  town  affairs  ;  was 
elected  the  first  clerk  of  the  town  at  its  organization 
in  1767,  and  held  other  important  offices.  He  lived 
in  the  centre,  on  the  site  of  the  present  residence  of 
Thomas  Sanford. 

MEEKER. 

BENJAMIN  MEEKER  and  wife  were  admitted 
church -members  June  4th,  1747.  She  was  Catherine 
Burr.  They  were  married  July  20th,  1745.  Their 
children  were  :  Witely,  baptized  June  7th,  1747. 
Esther  and  Eunice,  baptized  August  18th,  1755. 
Azariah,  baptized  February  5th,  1769.  Daniel 
Meeker  married  Sarah  Johnson,  July  10th,  1744. 


208  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

Their  children  were :  Elnathan  baptized  July  26th, 
1747.  Jared,  baptized  January  29th,  1749.  Re- 
becca, baptized  January  20th,  1751.  Lois,  baptized 
March  28th,  1753.  Josiah,  baptized  July  17th, 
1757. 

About  the  same  time  appear  David  Meeker  and 
Robert  Meeker.  The  former  married  Hannah  Hill 
October  31st,  1744.  The  latter  Rebecca  Morehouse, 
September  19th,  1746.  I  find  no  record  of  children. 
Joseph  Meeker  appears  as  early  as  May  4th,  1735, 
when  his  son  Isaac  was  baptized. 

MERCHANT. 

GURDOX  MERCHANT  married  Elinor  Chauncey 
(probably  of  Fail-field),  December  9th,  1747.  Their 
children  were :  Amelia,  baptized  February  5th,  1749. 
Chauncey,  February  25th,  1753.  John,  baptized 
August  31st,  1755.  Elinor,  January  8th,  1758. 
Gurdon,  March  16th,  1760.  Joel,  June  6th,  1762. 
Phebe,  May  20th,  1764.  Silas,  May  8th,  1766. 
Gurdon  Merchant  was  the  first  town  treasurer,  and 
held  other  offices  of  trust.  The  family  figures  quite 
prominently  in  the  later  history  of  the  town. 

MOREHOUSE. 

GERSHOM  MOREHOUSE  and  wife  were  admitted 
members  of  the  church  May  8th,  1737,  on  recom- 
mendation of  Rev.  Mr.  Hobart,  of  Fairfield.  Also, 
Jonathan  Morehouse,  July  5th,  1741.  I  find  no 
children  of  Gershom  Morehouse  recorded  in  Red- 
ding. The  Gershom  Morehouse  who  married  Anna 
Sanford  January  18th,  1748,  was  probably  his  son. 
The  children  of  the  second  Gershom  Morehouse  were  : 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  209 

Ezra,  baptized  April  28th,  1754.  Bille,  baptized 
July  18th,  1756.  Aaron,  baptized  Jane  4th,  1758. 
Jane,  baptized  November  4th,  1760.  Ann,  baptized 
June  19th,  1764.  Hill,  baptized  May  5th,  1765. 
Lucy,  baptized  July  12th,  1767.  Betty,  baptized 
August  6th,  1769.  Elizabeth  Ruth,  baptized  No- 
vember 10th,  1771.  Polly,  baptized  May  15th,  1774. 
Polly,  baptized  May  4th,  1777.  The  children  of 
Jonathan  Mo  rehouse  were  :  Joanna  and  Mary,  bap- 
tized April  13th,  1738.  Hannah,  baptized  June  3d, 
1739.  Elijah,  baptized  March  llth,  1742.  Phebe, 
baptized  May  27th,  1744.  Ruth,  baptized  June 
14th,  1747. 

PERRY. 

EBENEZER  PERKY  removed  to  Redding,  probably 
from  Stratford,  in  1735,  in  Avhich  year  he  was  ad- 
mitted church-member.  His  children  were  :  John, 
baptized  May  10th,  1741.  Ebenezer,  June  12th, 
1743 ;  probably  others. 

Daniel  Perry,  son  of  Joseph  Perry  and  Deborah 
Burr,  of  Fairfield,  removed  to  Redding  about  1770, 
and  settled  in  the  south-western  part  of  the  town. 
He  married,  first,  Mary,  daughter  of  Peter  Sturgis,  of 
Fairfield,  and,  second,  Sarah  Wilson.  His  children,  all 
by  the  second  wife,  were  :  Grissel,  born  February 
10th,  1745-6.  Daniel,  born  April  15th,  1747.  John, 
born  December  30th,  1748.  Deborah,  born  October 
8th,  1750.  George,  born  November  26th,  1752. 
Isaac,  born  November  3d,  1754.  Thomas,  born 
February  21st,  1757.  Of  the  sons,  two  at  least,  Dan- 
iel and  John,  settled  in  Redding.  Daniel  married, 
February  19th,  1772,  Elizabeth  Gorham,  of  Green- 
15 


210  HIS10RY  Ot   REDDING. 

field.  His  children  were  :  /.Timothy,  baptized  Janu- 
ary 10th,  1773.  Isaac,  baptized  August  23d,  1778; 
perhaps  others. 

PLAIT. 

TIMOTHY  PLATT  was  admitted  a  church-member 
May  10th,  1741,  on  recommendation  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Chapman.  But  one  child  is  found — Abigail,  bap- 
tized April  8th,  1736;  married  Nathaniel  Hill  Mny 
28th,  1754.  He  was  probably  father  of  the  Timothy 
Platt  who  married  the  sister  of  John  R.  Hill,  and 
settled  in  Lonetown,  on  the  farm  now  owned  by 
Henry  Adams.  Obadiah  Platt,  who  appears  in  Red- 
ding as  early  as  1737,  and  Jonas  Platt,  who  with  his 
wife  Elizabeth  were  admitted  church-members  Feb- 
ruary 5th,  1749,  were  probably  his  brothers.  Timo- 
thy Platt  died  December  5th,  1769,  aged  sixty-two 
years.  The  children  of  Obadiah  Platt  were  :  Mary, 
baptized  February  20th,  1737.  Elizabeth.  May  loth, 
1739.  Jonas  Platt  married  Elizabeth  Sanford,  Octo- 
ber 17th,  1747.  Their  children  were :  John,  bap- 
tized February  5th,  1752.  Daniel,  August  llth, 
1754.  Eunice,  May  30th,  1756.  He  removed  to 
New  York. 

Hezekiah  ; Platt  appears  in  Redding  as  early  ns 
April  4th,  1762,  when  his  son  Justus  was  baptized. 
His  other  children  recorded  were  :  Hezekiah,  Janu- 
ary 16th,  1764. ;  William,  May  18th,  1766.  Gris- 
wold,  December  1st,  1767.  Robert,  September  1st, 
1771. 

READ. 

MR.  JOHN  READ,  perhaps  the  earliest  settler  of 
Redding,  was  one  of  the  most  eminent  men  of  his 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  211 

day.  He  was  born  in  Connecticut  in  1680,  gradu- 
ated from  Harvard  College  in  1697,  studied  for  the 
ministry,  and  preached  for  some  time  at  Waterbury, 
Hartford,  and  Stratford.  He  afterward  studied  law, 
and  was  admitted  an  attorney  at  the  bar  in  1708,  and 
in  1712  was  appointed  Queen's  attorney  for  the  col- 
ony. In  1714  he  bought  of  the  Indians  a  large  tract 
of  land  in  Lonetown  and  settled  there.  He  con- 
tinued to  reside  in  Redding  until  1722,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Boston,  and  soon  became  known  as  the 
most  eminent  lawyer  in  the  colonies.  He  was  At- 
torney-General of  Massachusetts  for  several  years, 
and  also  a  member  of  the  Governor  and  Council. 
He  died  in  February,  1749,  leaving  a  large  estate. 
His  wife  was  Ruth  Talcott,  daughter  of  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  John  Talcott,  of  Hartford,  and  sister  of 
Governor  Joseph  Talcott.  They  had  six  children  : 
Until,  born  (probably)  in  Hartford  in  1700  ;  died  in 
Redding,  August  8th,  1766.  She  was  the  wife  of 
Rev.  Nathaniel  Hunn,  first  pastor  of  the  church  in 
Redding.  They  were  married  September  14th,  1737. 
John,  born  in  Hartford  in  1701 ;  lived  in  Redding  at 
the  "  Lonetown  Manor,"  and  was  a  leading  man  in 
his  day  in  the  colony  ;  was  much  in  public  life,  both 
civil  and  military,  and  was  noted  for  his  public  spirit, 
patriotism,  and  piety.  He  married  twice.  His  first 
wife  was  Mary  -  — ,  a  Milford  lady.  His  second 
wife  wras  Sarah  Bradley,  of  Greenfield  Hill.  His 
children  were  :  William,  who  married  Sarah  Hawley, 
of  Redding.  Zalmon,  who  married  Hulda  Bradley, 
of  Greenfield.  Hezekiali,  who  married  Anna  Gor- 
ham.  Joli n,  who  married  Zoa  Hillard.  Mary,  wife  of 
John  Harpin.  Sarah,  wife  of  Jabez  Hill,  and.  after- 


212  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

ward  of  Theodore  Monson.  Ruth,  wife  of  Jeremiah 
Mead.  Deborah,  wife  of  Thomas  Benedict,  a  lawyer. 
Mabel,  wife  of  Levi  Starr ;  and  Esther,  wife  of  Dan- 
iel C.  Bartlett,  son  of  Rev.  Nathaniel  Bartlett. 
One  of  his  children,  a  lad  of  four  years,  fell  into  a 
burning  coal-pit  in  1739,  and  was  so  badly  burned 
that  he  survived  but  a  few  hours.  His  father  wrote 
a  letter  to  his  father  in  Boston,  informing  him  of  the 
melancholy  event,  and  his  father  sent  back  a  letter  in 
reply.  Both  of  the  letters  are  yet  preserved,  after  a 
period  of  one  hundred  and  forty  years,  and  are  both 
remarkable  for  the  piety  and  Christian  resignation 
manifested  in  them.  William,  born  in  Connecticut 
about  1710,  was  a  lawyer  in  Boston,  and  afterward  a 
judge  in  several  of  the  courts  there.  He  lived  a 
bachelor,  and  died  in  1780,  aged  seventy  years. 
Mary,  born  (probably)  in  Reading,  Conn.,  April 
14th,  1716  ;  married  Captain  Charles  Morris,  of  Bos- 
ton, afterward  of  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia,  where  he 
was  for  many  years  chief- justice  of  the  courts.  They 
had  nine  sons  and  two  daughters.  Abigail  married 
Joseph  Miller,  of  Boston.  Deborah  married  a  Mr. 
Willstead,  and  afterward  Henry  Paget,  of  Smithfield, 
Rhode  Island. 

To  the  above  sketch  by  Mr.  George  Read,  of  Bos- 
ton, I  will  add  that  Colonel  John  Read,  son  of  the 
Mr.  John  Read  mentioned,  appears  as  one  of  the 
original  members  of  the  first  society  in  1729,  and  was 
the  Colonel  John  Read  so  often  referred  to  in  the 
town  records.  His  "  manour"  comprised  nearly  all 
of  what  is  now  Lonetown,  and  his  manor-house  stood 
on  the  exact  site  of  Mr.  Aaron  Tread  well's  present 
residence.  He  had  a  fenced  park,  in  which  he  kept 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  ?13 

deer,  nearly  opposite  the  present  residence  of  William 
Sherwood. 

Mr.  George  Read,  of  Redding  Centre,  has  a  very 
interesting  collection  of  old  papers  belonging  to  the 
colonel,  such  as  wills,  deeds,  account-books,  etc.,. 
In  one  of  them  directions  are  given  his  men  about 
feeding  the  deer,  letting  the  cattle  into  the  long 
meadow,  etc.  Another  is  Mr.  Read's  commission 
as  colonel,  and  is  of  sufficient  interest  to  warrant  its 
insertion  here.  It  is  as  follows  : 

THOMAS  FITCH  Esc[.,  Governor  and  Commander  in 
chief  of  his  Majesty's  Colony  of  Connecticut  in 
New  England, 

To  JOHN  READ  ESQ.,  GREETING. 
Whereas  you  are  appointed  by  the  General  As- 
sembly of  said  Colony  to  be  Colonel  of  the  Fourth 
Regiment  of  Horse  in  said  Colony.  Reposing  spe- 
cial trust  and  confidence  in  your  Loyalty,  courage, 
and  good  conduct,  I  do  by  these  presents  constitute 
and  appoint  you  to  be  Coionel  of  said  Regiment. 
You  are  therefore  to  take  the  said  Regiment  into 
your  Care  and  charge  as  their  Colonel,  and  carefully 
and  diligently  to  discharge  that  Care  and  Trust  in 
Ordering  and  Exercising  of  them,  both  Officers  and 
Soldiers  in  Arms  according  to  the  Rules  and  Disci- 
pline of  War,  keeping  them  in  good  Order  and  Gov- 
ernment, and  commanding  them  to  obey  you  as 
their  Colonel  for  his  Majesty's  service,  and  they  are 
commanded  to  obey  you  accordingly,  and  you  are  to 
conduct  and  lead  forth  the  said  Regiment,  or  such, 
part  of  them  as  you  shall  from  time  to  time  receive 
orders  for  from  me,  or  from  the  Governor  of  this 
Colony  for  the  time  being,  to  Encounter,  Repel, 
Pursue,  and  Destroy  by  force  of  Arms,  and  by  all 
fitting  ways  and  means,  all  his  Majesty's  Enemies 
who  shall  at  any  time  hereafter  in  a  Hostile  manner, 


214  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

attempt  or  enterprise  the  Invasion,  Detriment,  or 
Annoyance  of  this  Colony.  And  you  are  to  observe 
and  obey  such  Orders  and  Instructions  as  from  time 
to  time  you  from  Me,  or  other  your  Superior  Offi- 
cers, pursuant  to  the  trust  hereby  Reposed  in  you 
and  the  laws  of  this  Colony.  Given  under  my  hand 
and  the  seal  of  this  Colony,  in  New  Haven,  the  3d 
Day  of  November,  in  the  81st  year  of  the  Reign  of 
our  Sovereign  Lord  George  the  Second,  King  of 
Great  Britain  &c.  Annoque  Doms.  1 7,">7. 

By  His  Honor's  Command. 

THOS.  FITCH. 

GEORGE  WYLLYS.  Secty. 

ROGERS. 

JAMES  ROGEKS  was  a  prominent  man  in  his  day, 
and  tilled  many  responsible  offices  in  town.  He  ap- 
pears as  early  as  1762.  His  children  were  :  Joseph, 
born  October  31st,  1762.  Chloe,  born  October  24th, 
1766.  James,  born  April  28th,  1768.  Haron,  born 
August  22d,  1770.  (Town  record.) 

RUMSEY. 

JOSEPH  RUMSEY  appears  in  Redding  as  early  as 
1747.  His  will,  dated  December  27th,  1754,  mentions 
his  wife,  Sarah  -  — ,  and  children,  Isaac,  Saiah. 
Joseph,  Daniel,  William,  andEphraim. 

The  will  of  Daniel  Rumsey,  of  Reading,  probated 
March  10th,  1761,  mentions  his  father  Robert,  broth- 
ers John  Rumsey  and  Seth  Hull. 

John  Rumsey  settled  in  Redding.  His  children 
by  wife  Esther  were  :  Abigail,  baptized  February 
19th,  1751.  Rachel,  baptized  February  25th,  1753. 
Mary,  June  5th,  1755.  Nathan,  August  8th,  175(5. 
David,  January  28th,  1759.  Mary,  June  15th,  1701. 
Esther,  May  13th,  1764.  Eben,  February  4th,  1768. 


HISTORY  OF  KEDD1NG.  215 

Isaac  Rumsey  married  Abigail  St.  John,  May  23d, 
1 761 .  Children :  Abigail,  born  December  25th, 
1761.  Jeremiah,  born  May  23d,  1762.  Ruth,  De- 
cember 29th,  1763.  Noah,  born  March  28th,  1768. 

SAXFORD. 

THE  Sanford  family  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most 
numerous  in  the  town,  having  been  founded  by  four 
persons  of  the  name,  who  removed  here  from  Fair- 
field  when  the  country  was  first  opened  to  settlers. 
The  names  of  these  four  settlers  were  :  Nathaniel, 
Lemuel,  Samuel,  and  Ephraim. 

The  first  two  were  original  members  of  the  church  ; 
the  last  two  joined  it  during  the  first  year  of  its  ex- 
istence, viz.,  in  1734.  According  to  Savage,  Ephraim 
Sanford,  who  settled  in  Milford,  and  married  Mary 
Powell,  of  New  Haven,  in  1669,  had  children,  Mary, 
Samuel,  Ephraim,  Thomas,  Nathaniel  and  Zacariah. 
Samuel,  Ephraim,  and  Nathaniel,  are  no  doubt  iden- 
tical with  those  who  settled  in  Redding,  as  they  were 
elderly  men  with  families  when  they  removed  here- 
According  to  the  above-named  authority,  Ezekiel, 
eldest  son  of  the  above  Thomas  Sauford,  was  free- 
man in  1669  and  died  in  1683,  leaving  a  widow,  Re- 
becca and  children,  Ezekiel,  Thomas,  Sarah,  Mary, 
Rebecca,  Martha,  and  Elizabeth.  Ezekiel,*  eldest 
won,  settled  in  Fairfield,  and  in  his  will,  dated  Janu- 

-  Mr.  E.  ,1.  Sand  ford,  of  Knoxville,  Term.,  sends  me  the  following 
ncccmnt  of  Ezekid  Sandford,  which  he  derived  from  Rev.  Thomas 
F.  Davies  :  Ezekiel  Sand  ford  was  an  English  engineer,  and  had 
charge  of  the  erection  of  the  stockade  fort  atSaybrook,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Connecticut  River,  for  protection  against  Indians.  He  after- 
ward removed  to  Fairh'eld,  and  built  Ihe  first  mill  in  the  county,  at 
Mill  River,  for  which  he  received  a  huge  grant  of  land  from  Ihe 
English  Government 


21 G  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

ary  29th,  1729,  mentions  two  sons,  Lemuel  and  Eze 
kiel.  Lemuel  settled  in  Redding,  as  above  stated. 
Thomas  Sanford,  father  of  Ezekiel  and  Ephraim, 
was  the  first  of  the  name  in  America. 

We  shall  trace  the  families  of  these  ancestors  in 
Redding  in  the  order  of  their  arrival  here.  Nathan- 
iel Sanford  settled  in  Umpawang.  His  children  re- 
corded were:  Abel  H.,  baptized  March  25th,  !?:>:>. 
Ruth,  baptized  May  12th,  1787.  Esther,  baptized 
May  27th,  1744. 

T  have  no  further  record  of  this  family. 

Lemuel  Sanford  settled  in  the  centre.  He  was  one 
of  the  first  committee-men  of  the  society,  and  promi- 
nent in  public  affairs.  He  married  -  -  Squire,  of 
Fairfield.  Their  children  were  :  Hezekiah,  probably 
born  in  Fairfield.  Sarah,  baptized  September  19th, 
1734.  Anne,  baptized  November  1st,  1736.  Lydia, 
baptized  June  4th,  1738.  Lemuel,  baptized  April 
20th,  1740.  Ezekiel,  baptized  July  4th,  1742. 
Anne,  baptized  October  7th,  1744.  Roda,  baptized 
February  26th,  1749. 

Hezekiali  married  Hannah  -  — ,  and  settled  in  the 
centre,  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Mr.  Delavan.  His 
children  were  :  Aaron,  baptized  May  29th,  1  ?.">?. 
Hannah,  baptized  August  26th,  1759.  ^Villiam,  bap- 
tized October  14th,  1764.  Eunice,  baptized  June 
7th,  1772.  Huldah,  baptized  May  18th,  1777. 

Aaron,  his  eldest  son,  settled  in  the  centre,  and  lived 
in  the  house  now  owned  by  Mrs.  Connors.  He  was 
the  first  male  member  of  the  Methodist  Church  in 
New  England,  and  was  the  leader  of  the  little  class 
organized  in  Redding  in  1790. 

The  Methodist  preachers  in  their  rounds  al \vay.s 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  217 

found  a  home  with  him,  and  often  held  their  meet- 
ings in  his  house.  Later  in  life  he  became  an  accep- 
table local  preacher  in  that  church.  He  married 
Lydia  Hawley,  daughter  of  William  Hawley,  Novem- 
ber 2d,  1780.  Their  children  were :  Betsey,  born 
October  5th,  1781.  Hannah,  born  May  31st,  1784. 
Aaron,  born  July  8th,  1786.  Hawley,  born  July 
Ifith,  1789.  Jesse  Lee,  born  July  27th,  1791.  Eu- 
nice, born  August  10th,  1793.  Walter,  born  Febru- 
ary 18th,  1796.  Charlotte,  born  January  8th,  1800. 
Lydia,  born  September  t23d,  1803.  William  A., 
born  January  15th,  1807. 

Aaron  Stanford,  Jr.,  settled,  on  Redding  Ridge,  in 
the  eastern  part  of  the  town.  He  married,  December 
19th,  1813,  Fanny  Hill,  daughter  of  Andrew  L.  Hill. 
Their  children  were  eleven  in  number :  Andrew  H., 
Daniel,  Mary,  Clara,  Henry,  Aaron,  Fanny,  Jesse 
L.,  Mary,  Elizabeth,  John,  and  Julia  H.  Ilawley, 
the  second  son,  married  Betsey  Stow  November  2d, 
1814,  by  whom  he  had  two  children,  Russell  and 
Betsey.  On  the  death  of  his  wife  he  married,  second, 
Sarah  Ketchum  November  20th,  1823.  The  chil- 
dren of  this  marriage  were  :  Francis  A.,  Aaron  K., 
(now  presiding  elder  on  the Poughkeepsie  District), 
Hawley,  Lydia,  David,  Morris,  and  Mary.  Walter, 
the  third  son,  married,  December  6th,  1821,  Harriet 
M.  Booth.  They  had  one  son,  Charles.  Walter 
Sanford  married,  second,  Emily  Gorham.  William 
Sanford,  the  fourth  son,  married  Harriet  Tuttle 
May  2d,  1832.  Of  the  daughters,  Betsey  married 
John  R.  Hill.  Hannah  married  the  Rev.  Aaron 
Hunt,  a  Methodist  clergyman,  celebrated  in  his  day 
as  being  the  first  to  successfully  contest  the  old  co- 


218  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

lonial  law  which  forbade  all  ministers  except  those 
of  the  "  Standing  Order"  to  perform  the  marriage 
ceremony.  Mr.  Hunt  was  at  one  time  located  and 
resided  for  several  years  in  Redding.  Charlotte 
married  Thomas  B.  Fanton.  Lydia  married  Aaron 
Sanford  Hyatt. 

Lemuel  Sanford,  second  son  of  Lemuel  Sanford, 
settled  in  the  centre,  near  his  father.  He  married, 
September  20th,  1768,  Mary  Russell,  of  North  Bran 
ford,  Conn.  The  circumstances  attending  his  mar- 
riage are  thus  narrated  :  He  left  Redding  on  horse- 
back, early  on  the  morning  of  his  wedding-day,  but 
was  delayed  on  the  road  and  did  not  reach  Branford 
imtil  midnight.  By  that  time  the  wedding  guests 
had  dispersed  and  the  family  had  retired  ;  but  he 
roused  them  up,  collected  the  guests,  and  the  cere- 
mony was  performed.  The  next  day  bride  and 
groom  returned  to  Redding,  travelling  on  horse- 
back. The  children  of  Lemuel  and  Mary  Sanford 
were  :  Lemuel,  born  July  18th,  1769.  Roda,  born 
March  4th,  1773.  Mary,  born  May  18th,  1776  ;  mar- 
ried Dr.  Thomas  Peck.  Abigail,  born  1779  ;  died  in 
infancy.  Jonathan  R.,  born  February  llth,  1782. 
Abigail,  born  April  18th,  1784.  Lucretia,  born  May 
4th,  178G. 

Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford  died  March  12th,  1803,  at 
Danbury,  in  the  performance  of  his  duties  as  Judge 
of  the  County  Court,  leaving  a  most  honorable  rec- 
ord. He  had  filled  all  the  positions  of  honor  and 
trust  in  his  native  town,  and  during  the  Revolution 
had  been  a  member  of  the  Committee  of  Supply,  the 
duties  of  which  kept  him  absent  in  Danbury  and 
Fairfield  nearly  the  whole  period  of  the  war.  He 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  210 

several  times  represented  the  town  in  the  General 
Assembly,  and  also  held  the  office  of  Associate  Judge 
of  the  County  Court. 

Lemuel  Sanford,  eldest  son  of  Judge  Sanford,  after 
being  educated  at  President  Dwight's  famous  acad- 
emy on  Greenfield  Hill,  returned  to  Redding,  mar- 
ried Mary  Heron,  daughter  of  Squire  Heron,  and  set- 
tled in  the  centre,  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Albert 
Gorham.  He  was  a  man  of  much  ability,  and  quite 
prominent  in  town  affairs.  He  had  but  two  chil- 
dren, Mary  and  Abigail. 

Jonathan  11.,  the  second  son,  married  Maria, 
daughter  of  Dr.  Thomas  Davies,  October  17th,  1808. 
Their  children  were  :  Amanda,  Maria,  (who  died  in 
infancy),  Lemuel,  Jonathan  T?.,  and  Thomas.  Mr. 
Jonathan  Sanford  died  August  20th,  1858.  In  1808 
Mr.  Sanford  was  appointed  town-clerk  and  treasurer, 
and  held  those  offices  until  his  death,  a  period  of 
half  a  century.  He  also  filled  the  office  of  Judge  of 
Probate  for  several  years,  besides  representing  his 
native  town  at  different  periods  in  the  State  legisla- 
ture. 

Ezekiel,  third  son  of  Lemuel  Sanford  the  first, 
married  Abigail  Starr  November  21st,  1773,  and  set 
tied  in  Boston  district,  in  the  western  part  of  the 
town.  His  children  were  :  Mollie,  baptized  Decem- 
ber 18th,  1774.  Rebecca,  baptized  April  24th,  1777. 
Ezekiel,  baptized  November  1st,  1778.  Abigail, 
baptized  March  19th,  1780  ;  perhaps  others.  He  is 
called  captain  in  the  old  records.  Some  of  his  de- 
scendants are  now  living  in  Amenia,  N.  Y. 

Samuel  Sanford  the  first,  settled  in  Umpawaug. 
He  is  called  captain  in  the  records.  His  children 


220  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

were :  Daniel-,  baptized  April  22d,  1734.  Seth,  bap- 
tized August  23d,  1735.  Mary,  March  19th,  1738. 
David,  December  2d,  1739.  Abigail,  January  30th, 
1743.  Samuel,  May  5th,  1745.  Sarah,  May  10th, 
1747.  Esther,  April  16th,  1749.  Ezra,  March  25th, 
1751.  Rachel,  February  25th,  1753.  Peter,  May 
23d,  1756.  Captain  Samuel  Sanford  died  November 
6th,  1768,  aged  sixty-two  years. 

Daniel  married  Esther  Hull  April  18th,  1758. 
Children  :  Eli,  baptized  August  16th,  1761.  Chloe, 
July  5th,  1767  ;  and  others.  Seth  married  Rebecca, 
daughter  of  Deacon  Stephen  Burr,  April  25th,  1759. 
Her  children,  as  named  in  Deacon  Burr's  will,  1776, 
were":  Elias,  Ebenezer,  Joel,  Elijah,  Samuel,  and 
Seth.  Mary  married  Timothy  Sanford,  son  of 
Joseph.  Abigail  married  John  Hawley  December 
21st,  1762.  Samuel,  Jr.,  married  Sarah  Olmsted 
July  23d,  1767.  (Town  record.)  His  children  re- 
corded were  :  Uriah,  baptized  February  14th,  1768. 
Thomas,  December  17th,  1769.  Peter  married  Abi- 
gail Keeler  June  1st,  1780. 

Ephraim  Sanford  the  first,  settled  in  Sanfordtowu, 
and  was  a  large  land  owner  there,  as  is  shown  by  sev- 
eral deeds  now  in  the  possession  of  his  descendants, 
some  of  which  date  back  as  far  as  1733.  His  chil- 
dren by  his  wife  Elizabeth  Mix,  according  to  the  par- 
ish record,  were  :  Rachel,  baptized  July  29th,  1733. 
Abigail,  baptized  May  18th,  1735.  John,  April 
29th,  1739.  Oliver,  September  20th,  1741.  Lois, 
September  17th,  1743.  Huldah,  May  5th,  1748. 
Augustus,  July  15th,  1753.  Esther,  April  27th, 
1755.  His  will,  dated  January  30th,  1761,  mentions 
also  Ephraim,  Elizabeth,  and  Tabitha.  Ephraim 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  221 

Sanford,  according  to  the  family  tradition,  was  the 
first  man  having  a  store  of  goods  in  Redding.  His 
goods  were  brought  from  Boston.  Of  his  children, 
Abigail  married  Daniel  Jackson  October  2d,  1755. 

John  married — ,  and  settled  in  the  Foundry 

district,  in  Redding.  His  children  were :  James, 
Stephen,  Ephraim,  John,  Eli,  Huldah,  Lois,  Betty, 
Elizabeth,  and  Annie.  James,  the  eldest  son,  settled 
in  the  Foundry  district,  near  his  father.  He  was  a 
teamster  in  the  Revolutionary  army,  and  was  present 
at  the  execution  of  Jones  and  Smith  on  Gallows 
Hill.  He  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  John  Beach, 
and  grand- daughter  of  Rev.  John  Beach,  the  faithful 
missionary  of  the  Church  of  England.  He  was  the 
father  of  Squire  James  Sanford.  John,  Jr.,  the 
fourth  son  of  John  Sanford,  settled  in  Redding,  and 
was  the  father  of  John  AY.  Sanford,  a  well-known 
citizen. 

Oliver  Sanford,  son  of  Ephraim,  married,  in  April, 
1767,  Rachel,  daughter  of  Deacon  David  Coley,  of 
Weston.  Their  children  were  :  Mary,  baptized  July 
31st,  1768.  David,  August  20th,  1769.  Ephraim. 
September  15th,  1771.  Abigail,  May  29th,  1774. 
Enocli  A.,  April  28th,  1776.  Levi,  December  14th, 
1777.  Oliver  C.,  Abigail,  Mary,  Betsey,  and  Lor- 
raine. 

SMITH. 

ANXA,  daughter  of  Samuel  Smith,  of  Redding,  was 
baptized  July  6th,  1740 ;  and  Seth  Samuel,  son  of 
Samuel  and  Lydia  Smith,  September  28th,  1760. 
The  latter  was  the  first  lawyer  who  located  in  Red- 
ding. He  had  an  office  in  the  centre,  where  also  he 


HISTORY  OF  RED  DIM;. 

kept  a  select  school.  He  was  town-clerk  for  a  term 
of  years,  and  wrote  a  most  elegant  hand,  as  will  be 
remembered  by  those  familiar  with  the  records  of 
his  times.  He  also  filled  many  other  important 
positions  in  the  town.  He  married  Huldah  -  - . 
Their  children  were :  Zalmon,  baptized  February 
3d,  1780  :  and  probably  others. 

BTOHTE. 

ROBERT  STOW,  the  first  of  the  name  in  Red- 
ding, settled  in  Lonetown,  on  the  farm  now  owned 
by  his  grandson,  Sumner  Stowe.  He  married  Anne 
Darrow  January  26th,  1775.  Their  children  were  : 
Daniel,  born  July  4th,  1779.  Abigail,  born  April 
llth,  1776  ;  married  Israel  Adams.  Sarah,  born 
October  4th,  1777.  Sarah,  born  August  llth,  17S1. 
Sumner,  born  September  17th,  1783.  Huldah. 
born  February  6th,  1787 ;  married  Andrew  An 
drus,  of  Danbury.  Abraham,  born  March  4th,  1792. 
Polly,  born  September  20th,  1794 ;  married  Moses 
Parsons,  of  Newtown.  Robert  Stow  died  November 
5th,  1795.  Daniel  Stow  married  Lucy  Hoyt,  of 
Bethel,  and  settled  in  Redding,  near  his  father.  IIi> 
children  were  :  Robert,  Almira,  Sarah,  Harriet,  Lucy. 
Sumner,  Mary,  and  Polly.  Abraham  settled  in 
Bethel.  Sumner  died  when  a  young  man. 

Other  settlers  in  the  town  at  an  early  date,  but 
who  do  not  appear  to  have  been  permanent  resi- 
dents, were:  Daniel  Bradley,  Thomas  Williams. 
Thomas  and  William  Squire  (of  Fail-field),  Ebenezer 
Ferry,  George  Cowden,  Nathaniel  Booth,  Edmund 
Sherman,  Jonathan  Squire,  John  Whitlock,  John 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  223 

Truesdale,  Frederick  Dikeman,  and  John  Nott.  The 
families  of  Byington,  Chapman,  Hamilton,  Knapp, 
Osborne,  Dennison,  Bennett,  St.  John,  Gilbert, 
Johnson,  Abbott,  Duncomb,  Edmonds,  Olmstead, 
Rider,  Treadwell,  and  Todd  figure  in  the  later  rec- 
ords of  the  town. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

BIOGRAPHICAL. 

JOEL  BARLOW,  the  poet  and  statesman,  was  born 
in  Redding  March  24th,  1754.  He  received  his 
early  education  first  from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bartlett,  pas- 
tor of  the  Congregational  church  in  Redding,  and 
second  at  Moor's  preparatory  school  for  boys,  near 
Hanover,  N.  H.  He  entered  Dartmouth  College  in 
1774,  at  the  age  of  twenty,  and  shortly  after  removed 
to  New  Haven  and  was  entered  at  Yale.  His  col- 
lege course  was  a  highly  creditable  one  in  many  re- 
spects. During  the  college  terms  he  was  a  faithful 
student,  especially  winning  distinction  for  literary 
attainments  ;  and  during  the  long  summer  vacations 
lie  joined  the  Continental  army  as  a  volunteer,  and 
aided  in  lighting  the  battles  of  his  country.  He  grad- 
uated in  1778.  From  1779  to  1783,  he  was  chaplain 
of  one  of  the  Connecticut  regiments  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary army.  Shortly  after  leaving  the  army  in 
1783,  he  married  Miss  Ruth  Baldwin,  daughter  of 
Michael  Baldwin,  Esq.,  of  New  Haven,  and  in  1783 
settled  as  a  lawyer  in  Hartford,  Conn.  In  Hartford 
Mr.  Barlow  appears  as  lawyer,  journalist  (editor  of 


224  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

the  American  Mercury),  bookseller,  and  poet.  Iii 
the  latter  capacity  he  produced  a  revision  of  Dr. 
Watts'  s  "  Imitation"  of  the  Psalms,  and  also,  in  1787, 
his  famous  poem.  "  The  Vision  of  Columbus."  In 
1789  he  accepted  from  the  Sciota  Land  Company  the 
position  of  foreign  agent  for  the  sale  of  their  lands 
in  Europe,  and  went  to  England  and  later  to  France 
for  this  purpose  ;  but  shortly  after  his  arrival  the 
company  made  a  disgraceful  failure,  and  he  was 
again  thrown  on  his  own  resources.  Fortunately, 
his  literary  reputation  had  made  him  quite  a  lion  in 
the  French  capital,  and  he  easily  succeeded  in  ob- 
taining work  on  the  French  journals.  Later  he  em- 
barked in  some  mercantile  ventures,  which  proved 
successful  and  brought  him  a  competence.  He  at 
first  participated  actively  in  the  French  Revolution, 
which  broke  out  soon  after  his  arrival  in  France, 
but  becoming  disgusted  with  the  atrocities  of  the 
Jacobins,  he  withdrew  and  went  over  to  England. 
In  London,  in  1791,  he  published  his  "Advice  to  the 
Privileged  Orders,"  a  work  which  drew  out  a  formal 
eulogium  from  Fox  in  the  House  of  Commons. 
This  was  succeeded  in  1792  by  his  "  Conspiracy  of 
Kings,"  a  poem  so  bitterly  hostile  to  royalty,  that 
he  found  it  prudent  to  leave  England  for  France  im- 
mediately on  its  publication.  On  his  return  to 
France,  at  this  time,  the  privileges  of  French  citi- 
zenship were  conferred  on  him,  only  before  accorded 
to  but  two  Americans,  Washington  and  Hamilton. 
In  1793  he  accompanied  Gregorie,  former  Bishop  of 
Blois,  and  other  dignitaries  to  Savoy,  and  aided  in 
organizing  that  country  into  a  department  of  the 
Republic.  While  here  he  wrote  his  "  Hasty  Pud- 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  225 

ding,"  the  mock-heroic,  half -didactic  poem,  which 
has  chiefly  endeared  him  to  his  countrymen.  In 
1795  President  Washington  appointed  him  consul 
to  Algiers,  with  instructions  to  ratify  the  long  pend- 
ing treaty  with  the  Dey,  and  to  liberate  the  Ameri- 
can prisoners  there.  Colonel  Humphreys,  American 
Minister  to  Portugal,  an  old  friend  of  Mr.  Barlow, 
himself  came  to  Paris  to  urge  him  to  accept ;  and 
proving  successful,  the  two  friends  left  Paris  on  the 
12th  of  September,  1795,  for  Lisbon.  From  Lisbon 
Mr.  Barlow  proceeded  to  Algiers  md  Alicant,  and 
after  a  year  and  a  half  of  effort,  succeeded  in  ratify- 
ing the  treaty  and  in  liberating  the  captives.  He 
then  returned  to  France.  During  the  succeeding 
eight  years  he  resided  in  an  elegant  villa  near  Paris, 
formerly  the  property  of  the  Count  Clermont  Ton- 
nere,  enjoying  the  friendship  of  the  chief  men  of  the 
nation,  as  well  as  that  of  all  Americans  of  eminence 
who  visited  the  capital. 

But  in  1805  the  desire  to  once  more  revisit 
the  land  he  had  left  seventeen  years  before,  became 
too  strong  to  be  resisted  longer,  and  disposing  of  his 
estates  in  France,  he  returned  in  Juty  of  this  year 
to  America.  He  was  warmly  received  in  his  native 
land,  and  after  an  extensive  tour,  extending  into  the 
western  country,  he  returned  to  Washington,  where 
he  built  an  elegant  mansion  called  Kalorama,  and 
which  was  widely  famed  in  its  day  for  its  beauty 
and  elegance,  and  as  being  the  resort  of  all  the  famous 
men  of  the  times.  At  Kalorama,  Barlow  gave  his 
chief  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  the  Muses,  and 
to  philosophical  studies.  Here,  in  1808,  he  finished 
his  great  poem,  "The  Columbiad,"  which  was 
18 


220  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

printed  at  Philadelphia,  and  was  one  of  the  most 
elegant  volumes  ever  issued  from  the  American 
press.  He  also  busied  himself  with  collecting 
materials  for  a  general  history  of  the  United  States. 
In  1811  President  Madison  offered  him  the  respon- 
sible position  of  Minister  to  France,  in  the  hope  that 
his  reputation  and  his  influence  with  the  French 
Government  might  secure  for  us  a  treaty  giving  in- 
demnity for  past  spoliations  on  our  commerce  and 
security  from  further  depredations.  Barlow  ac- 
cepted the  position  from  motives  of  the  purest  pa- 
triotism, in  the  belief  that  his  talents  and  position 
might  be  made  useful  to  his  country.  He  sailed 
irom  Annapolis  in  July,  1811,  in  the  historic  frigate 
Constitution,  Captain  Hull,  which  had  been  placed 
at  his  disposal  by  the  Government.  His  negotia- 
tions with  Napoleon,  while  on  this  mission,  were 
conducted  through  the  Duke  de  Bassano,  Minister 
of  Foreign  Affairs,  and  covered  a  space  of  nearly 
a  year  and  a  half.  Napoleon  acknowledged  the 
justice  of  the  claims  of  the  United  States,  and  ex- 
pressed a  willingness  to  ratify  a  treaty  of  indemnity; 
but  he  was  so  absorbed  in  directing  the  campaign 
against  Russia,  and  in  his  other  operations  on  the 
European  field,  that  it  was  very  difficult  to  bring  the 
matter  to  a  satisfactory  conclusion. 

At  length,  on  the  25th  of  October,  1812,  Mr.  Bar- 
low received  a  letter  from  the  Duke  de  Bassano,  writ- 
ten at  Wilna,  Poland,  saying  that  the  emperor  had 
deputed  the  business  of  the  treaty  to  him,  and  that 
if  Mr.  Barlow  would  come  to  Wilna,  he  had  no  doubt 
but  that  the  treaty  might  be  speedily  ratified.  Bar- 
low, on  receipt  of  the  note,  at  once  set  out,  and  trav- 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  227 

elling  night  and  day,  reached  Wilna  about  the  first 
of  December,  only  to  find  the  village  filled  with  fugi- 
tives from  Napoleon's  retreating  army,  while  the 
duke  was  out  on  the  frontiers  hurrying  forward  re- 
inforcements to  cover  the  emperor's  retreat.  Dis- 
appointed in  his  mission,  he  hastened  to  retrace 
his  steps ;  but  at  Zarniwica,  an  obscure  village  in 
Poland,  he  was  seized  with  an  acute  attack  of  .pneu- 
monia, the  result  of  privations  and  exposure,  which 
terminated  his  life  December  26th,  1812.  He  was 
buried  in  the  little  village  where  he  died,  and  a  mar- 
ble pillar  was  erected  by  Mrs.  Barlow  to  his  mem- 
ory. No  friendly  pen  has  ever  written  the  poet's 
biography,  and  his  memory  has  pretty  much  faded 
from  the  minds  of  his  countrymen  ;  but  there  were 
few  men  of  his  day  more  widely  known,  or  who  did 
deeds  more  worthy  of  grateful  recognition  by  the 
American  people. 

"  STEPHEN  RUSSELL  MALLOEY,  second  son  of 
Charles  Mallory,  of  Redding,  Conn.,  was  born  in  the 
West  Indies  in  1814,  and  came  to  the  United  States 
when  but  three  months  old.  In  1819  he  accom- 
panied his  father  to  Florida,  and  was  placed  at  an 
'  old  field  school '  near  Mobile,  from  whence  he  was 
removed  to  the  academy  at  Nazareth,  Pa.,  where 
he  spent  several  years.  He  returned  to  Florida  in 
1830,  and  established  his  residence  at  Key  West, 
where  he  embraced  the  profession  of  law.  Mr.  Mai 
lory  has  filled  many  important  trusts  under  the 
State  and  General  Governments,  and  was  collector 
of  the  customs  and  superintendent  of  the  revenue 
at  Key  West,  under  Mr.  Polk.  In  1850  he  was 


228  HISTORY  OF  BEDDING. 

elected  to  the  United  States  Senate  for  the  term  of 
six  years."  The  above  is  from  Gleason's  "  Pictorial 
Companion"  for  1853.  Mr.  Mallory's  subsequent 
career  as  Secretary  of  the  Confederate  Navy  is 
familiar  to  the  reader. 

DUDLEY  S AFFORD  GREGORY,  Mayor  of  Jersey 
City,  N.  J.,  and  prominently  identified  with  the 
early  history  of  that  city,  was  a  native  of  Redding. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  DARIUS  COUCH  was  born  of  Red- 
ding parents,  in  South- East,  New  York,  July  25th, 
1822.  The  following  sketch  of  his  career,  taken 
largely  from  Cullum's  History  of  the  Officers  and 
Graduates  of  the  United  States  Military  Academy, 
will  be  read  with  interest : 

"  Darius  N.  Couch,  born  in  New  York,  appointed 
from  New  York,  cadet  at  United  States  Military 
Academy  from  July  1st,  1842,  to  July  1st,  1846,  when 
he  was  graduated  and  promoted  in  the  army  to  Bre- 
vet Second  Lieutenant  4th  Artillery.  Served  in  the 
war  with  Mexico  in  1846-47-48,  being  engaged  in  the 
battle  of  Buena  Vista,  Mex.,  as  Second  Lieutenant  in 
Captain  Washington's  Battery,  Light  Artillery,  for 
which  he  was  brevetted  First  Lieutenant  for  gallant 
and  meritorious  conduct.  Participating  in  the  oc- 
cupation of  the  Seminole  country  in  1852-3,  he 
planned  and  executed  at  his  own  expense  a  scien- 
tific expedition  into  Central  and  Northern  Mexico, 
the  results  of  which  were  very  creditable  to  his  en- 
terprise. He  married,  in  1854,  a  daughter  of  Hon. 
S.  L.  Crocker,  of  Taunton,  Mass.,  and  grand-daugh- 
ter of  Isaiah  Thomas,  founder  of  the  Antiquarian 
Society  of  Worcester,  Mass.,  and  author  of  the 
'  History  of  Printing.'  The  next  year  he  resigned 
from  the  army.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebel- 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  229 

lion,  being  settled  in  Taunton,  Mass.,  lie  raised  the 
7th  Reg.  Mass.  Vols.,  and  proceeded  to  Washington 
in  July,  1861.  Was  made  Brigadier-General  in 
August,  and  assigned  to  the  command  of  a  brigade 
in  the  defence  of  that  city.  In  McClellan's  Cam- 
paign on  the  Peninsula,  General  Couch  commanded 
the  1st  Division,  4th  Army  Corps,  holding  the  left 
of  the  line  at  the  siege  of  Yorktown.  At  the  battle 
of  Fair  Oaks,  his  brave  Division  held  their  ground 
for  more  than  two  hours  against  the  combined  at- 
tack of  the  Confederate  troops.  With  part  of  his 
Division  he  reinforced  Hooker  in  the  hot  action  of 
Oak  Grove,  June  25th,  1862,  and  was  in  various 
skirmishes  during  the  seven  days  until  July  1st,  on 
which  morning  General  McClellan  posted  him  on  the 
main  road  leading  to  Richmond,  where  was  fought 
the  successful  battle  of  Malvern  Hill. 

"  Being  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Major-General, 
July  4th,  1862,  he  joined  Pope  with  his  Division  on 
the  retreat  from  Manassas,  in  the  Northern  Virginia 
Campaign.  October,  1862,  in  command  of  the  2d 
Army  Corps,  Campaign  of  the  Rappahannock.  At 
Rredericksburg  December  12th,  13th,  14th,  and 
15th,  it  fell  upon  General  Couch  to  assault  Mary's 
Heights,  in  which  desperate  work  that  brave,  mag- 
nificent 2d  Army  Corps  lost  more  than  4000  men. 
The  loss  of  his  Corps  at  the  disastrous  battle  of 
Chancellorsville,  where  he  was  second  in  command, 
was  very  heavy.  In  November,  1864,  he  joined 
Thomas,  who  was  besieged  at  Nashville,  and  was 
assigned  by  that  commander  to  the  command  of  an 
Army  Corps.  In  the  battle  which  followed  he  com- 
manded a  division,  turned  Hood's  left,  and  cap- 
tured several  pieces  of  artillery  and  many  pris- 
oners. In  North  Carolina,  March,  April,  and  May, 
aiding  Sherman  in  closing  the  war.  Resigned  in 
June,  1865,  the  Great  Rebellion  having  been  crushed 
out. 

"  The  General  has   for  several  years  resided  at 


230  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

Norwalk,  Conn.,  having  been   Quartermaster-Gene- 
ral at  Hartford  during  the  years  1877-78." 

HON.  GIDEON"  H.  HOLLISTEK,  of  Litchfield,  is  a  de- 
scendant of  two  of  our  Redding  families,  as  will  be 
seen  by  reference  to  the  notes  on  the  Gray  and  Jack- 
son families.  He  was  born  December  14th,  1818,  in 
Washington,  Conn.,  and  graduated  at  Yale  College 
in  1840.  Studied  law  in  Litchfield,  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  April,  1842.  He  practised  law  in  Litch- 
field until  1859,  when  he  opened  an  office  in  New 
York.  He  went  as  United  States  Charge  d' Affaires 
to  Hayti  when  that  country  was  under  the  adminis- 
tration of  Salnave.  In  1855  he  published  a  History 
of  Connecticut  in  two  volumes,  of  which  two  edi- 
tions, of  two  thousand  copies  each,  have  been  ex- 
hausted. He  is  the  author  of  three  historical  dra- 
mas, one  of  them  bearing  the  title  of  "  Thomas  a 
Becket."  He  has  also  written  a  legal  treatise  on 
the  Law  of  Eminent  Domain.  Mr.  Hollister  is  now 
engaged  in  writing  a  history  of  Hayti. 

Attorney-General  Bates,  of  Missouri,  was  of  Red- 
ding ancestry. 

Judge  Strong,  of  the  United  States  Supreme  Court, 
spent  his  childhood  and  youth  in  Redding,  and  made 
his  maiden  plea  here  before  a  justice  court. 

Mrs.  Dora  Goodale,  a  writer  for  Scribnef  s,  is  a 
native  of  Redding,  being  a  descendant  of  Colonel 
John  Read,  one  of  the  earliest  settlers.  She  is  the 
mother  of  Elaine  and  Dora  Goodale,  the  child  poets, 
whose  charming  verses  have  been  so  warmly  wel- 
comed by  the  American  public. 

In  the  several  professions  Redding  has  been  well 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  231 

represented.  "  Dr.  Asahel  Fitch,  the  first  physician 
who  settled  in  the  town,  is  remembered  in  Fairfield 
County  as  a  worthy  man,  and  one  of  its  most  respect- 
able practitioners  of  medicine.  He  was  among  the 
principal  pioneers  in  the  formation  of  the  County  So- 
ciety, but  died  soon  after  its  organization.  His  death 
occurred  in  1792,  or  about  that  period.  I  understand 
that  he  was  the  grandfather  of  Professor  Knight,  of 
Yale  College. 

Among  the  physicians  of  Fairfield  County  who 
enjoyed  a  long  and  successful  practice  was  Dr. 
Thomas  Davies,  of  Redding.  He  removed  to  Redding 
in  1793,  on  the  decease  of  Dr.  Fitch,  and  there  con- 
tinued in  the  duties  of  his  profession  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1831.  Dr.  Daveis  possessed  the 
reputation  of  being  among  the  first  of  the  physicians 
of  the  county  who  assumed  regularly  obstetrical 
duties,  and  so  successful  were  his  labors,  that  he  be- 
came particularly  eminent  in  that  department. 

The  doctor  was  once  summoned  as  an  important 
wtiness  to  appear  before  the  Court  in  Fairfield,  and 
not  appearing,  the  sheriff  was  sent  to  compel  his  at- 
tendance. Being  absent,  and  learning  on  his  return 
that  the  officer  was  awaiting  at  a  public-house  in  the 
vicinity,  he  without  notice  to  the  official  rode  to 
Fairfield,  and  appeared  before  the  Court.  On  the 
question  occurring  with  the  Court  regarding  the 
costs  attending  the  capias ',  he  requested  one  or  two 
of  his  legal  friends  to  excuse  the  delinquency.  The 
judge  decided,  notwithstanding,  that  the  law  must  b3 
observed  and  that  the  doctor  must  bear  the  expenses. 
Dr.  D.  then  requested  a  hearing  in  his  own  behalf, 
which  being  granted,  remarked  :  "  May  it  please  the 


233  HISTORY  OF  REDDING. 

Court :  I  am  a  good  citizen  of  the  State,  and  since  I 
was  summoned  to  attend  this  Court  I  have  intro- 
duced three  other  good  citizens  into  it." 

The  Court  replied,  that  for  so  good  a  plea,  he 
would  leave  the  parties  to  pay  the  expenses. 

Rev.  Thomas  F.  Davies,  of  Philadelphia,  is  the 
only  male  descendant  of  Dr.  Davies.  * 

Among  the  later  practitioners  of  the  town,  Dr. 
Charles  Gorham  was  very  widely  known  and  re- 
spected. He  was  the  son  of  Meeker  Gorham  and 
Elizabeth  Hubbell,  of  Greenfield  Hill,  in  the  town  of 
Fairfield.  He  began  the  study  of  medicine  with  Dr. 
Jehiel  Williams,  of  New  Milf ord,  and  afterward  pur- 
sued his  studies  at  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons in  New  York.  He  settled  in  Redding  in  1816, 
at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  and  practised  as  a 
physician  and  surgeon  in  Fairfield  County  forty- 
two  years.  He  married  Mary,  daughter  of  William 
King  Comstock,  of  Danbury.  Dr.  Gorham  is  de- 
scribed as  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  strength  of 
character,  with  a  well-balanced  mind  and  sound 
judgment.  He  was  fond  of  scientific  investigations, 
and  was  remarkable  for  close  observation  and  power 
of  analysis.  He  died  at  his  residence  in  Redding 
Centre,  September  loth,  1859. 

Among  clergymen  may  be  enumerated  the  follow- 
ing :  Rev.  Justus  Hull,  Rev.  Lemuel  Hull ;  Rev. 
Thomas  F.  Davies,  of  Philadelphia ;  Rev.  William 
T.  Hill,  Presiding  Elder  of  New  Haven  District ; 
Rev.  Aaron  K.  Sanford,  Presiding  Elder  of  Pough- 


*  From  an  Address  beforo  the  Connecticut  Medical  Convention,  in 
1853,  by  Rufus  Blakenian,  3I.D. 


HISTORY  OF  REDDING.  233 

keepsie  District,  New  York  Conference  ;  Rev.  Aaron 
S.  Hill,  of  New  Haven ;  Rev.  Morris  Hill,  of  New 
Haven  ;  Rev.  Moses  Hill,  of  Norwalk  ;  Rev.  Hawley 
Sanford,  of  Iowa ;  Rev.  Morris  Sanford,  of  Iowa ; 
Rev.  Platt  Tread  well ;  Rev.  Albert  Miller,  of  Iowa  ; 
Rev.  Leroy  Stowe,  of  Milford,  Conn. ;  and  Rev.  A. 
B.  Sanford,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

The  following  State  Senators  have  been  natives  or 
citizens  of  Redding  :  Thomas  B.  Fanton,  elected  in 
1841 ;  Lemuel  Sanford,  1847 ;  Cortez  Merchant, 
1855  ;  Francis  A.  Sanford,  1865  ;  James  'Sanford, 
1870 ;  Jonathan  R.  Sanford,  1877, 

Thomas  Sanford,  former  High  Sheriff  of  the 
county,  and  at  one  time  nominee  of  the  Democratic 
party  for  Comptroller  of  the  State  ;  Henry  Sanford, 
of  New  York,  Superintendent  of  Adams  Express 
Company :  Aaron  Sanford,  of  Newtown,  present 
High  Sheriff  of  Fair-field  County  ;  and  Albert  Hill, 
City  Engineer  of  New  Haven,  are  natives  of  Red- 
ding. 


APPENDIX  I. 


THE  following  recollections  of  those  who  attended  church 
at  the  old  Congregational  nieeting-house,  before  it  was 
pulled  down  in  ]836  to  make  room  for  the  present  edifice, 
have  been  kindly  furnished  by  Thomas  Sanford,  Esq.  They 
will  be  read  with  interest,  as  relating  to  a  later  period  of 
the  town's  history  than  that  covered  by  the  preceding 
chapters. 

Jesse  Lacy,  wife,  son,  and  daughter,  resided  in  the  north- 
east part  of  the  town  of  Easton,  and  had  to  go  about  five 
miles  to  meeting.  The  son,  Deacon  Rowland  B.  Lacy,  now 
resides  in  Bridgeport. 

Eli  Lacy,  wife,  and  daughter,  from  the  same  neighbor- 
hood. 

Mrs.  Ichabod  Gilbert  resided  about  two  miles  north- 
east of  Eedding  Ridge.  She  was  the  grandmother  of  the 
Gilbert  Brothers,  of  Bethel. 

Deacon  Lemuel  Hawley,  and  niece,  Miss  Sarah  M.  Dut- 
ton,  who  afterward  became  the  wife  of  Rev.  Thomas  Dut- 
ton. 

Daniel  Betes,  wife,  and  two  daughters. 

Michael  Jennings,  wife,  and  daughter,  Eliza,  who  be- 
came the  wife  of  Mr.  Thatcher,  of  Hartford. 

Samuel  S.  Osborn  and  wife. 

Joseph  Hawley  and  wife. 

Jedediah  R.  Hawley  and  wife. 

Mrs.  Abbott,  the  mother  of  the  present  Deacon  T.  M. 
Abbott,  who  was  married  about  this  time,  and,  together 


APPENDIX  1.  235 

with  his  wife,  were,  and  have  been  constant  attendants  at 
meeting. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Daniel  A.  Frost,  and  son,  Ezra  M.  Frost, 
who  now  resides  in  Watertown,  Ct. 

Rev.  Thomas  F.  Davies  built  the  house  just  north  of 
theToivn  House,  and  with  his  family  attended  church  here 
till  1831,  when  he  left  to  take  charge  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church  at  Green's  Farms. 

Charles  Wilson  and  family. 

Leman  Can  field  and  family. 

Zalmon  Read,  an  officer  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and 
family. 

Deacon  Samuel  Read  and  family. 

Henry  Read  and  family. 

Widow  Betty  Adams. 

Calvin  Jenkins  and  wife.  He  was  a  drummer  in  the 
Revolutionary  army. 

Mrs.  Harry  Lines  and  children. 

Abraham  Parsons,  a  soldier  of  Revolution,  wife,  and 
daughter. 

Timothy  Parsons  and  children. 

The  widow  of  Doctor  Thomas  Davies. 

Deacon  Lemuel  Sanford  and  wife. 

Widow  Huldah  Marvin  and  children. 

Deacon  Charles  D.  Smith,  of  this  place,  married  the 
only  daughter  of  Widow  Marvin  for  his  first  wife. 

Eli  Read  and  wife. 

Rev.  Jonathan  Bartlett  and  family. 

Samuel  J.  Collins,  wife,  and  two  (laughters.  His 
youngest  daughter  is  the  Avife  of  our  present  physician, 
Dr.  Wakeman. 

Jared  Olmstead,  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  and 
family. 

Colonel  Aaron  Burr  and  family. 

Jonathan  R.  Sanford  and  family. 


236  APPENDIX  I. 

Mrs.  Benjamin  Couch. 

Mrs.  John  Goodyear  and  Jane  Tillow. 

Colonel  Asahel  Salmon,  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  and 
family.  Colonel  Salmon  led  the  singing  for  several  years. 

Mrs.  Daniel  Shenvood. 

Daniel  Meeker's  family. 

Captain  Lemuel  Adams  and  family. 

John  Meeker  and  wife.  He  played  the  bass  viol  for 
years. 

Azariah  Meeker  and  wife,  the  grandfather  of  the  pres- 
ent Azariah. 

Harry  Meeker  and  family. 

Moses  Meeker  and  family. 

Captain  John  Gray  and  wife. 

Joel  Gray,  wife,  and  daughter. 

Mrs.  Daniel  Benedict  and  two  daughters. 

Captain  John  Davis,  a  soldier  of  Revolution,  and  two 
daughters. 

Benjamin  Meeker  and  wife. 

Eli  Starr  Boughton,  father  of  Benjamin  S.  Boughton, 
and  family. 

Samuel  Meeker  and  wife. 

George  B.  Phillips  and  family. 

Cortez  Merchant  and  family. 

Mrs.  Samuel  S.  Gray  and  children. 

Mrs.  Holmes. 

Edward  Couch,  wife,  and  two  boys.  The  boys  now 
reside  in  Ridgefield — Edward  J.  and  Simon. 

Peter  S.  Coley  and  wife. 

Alfred  Gregory,  wife,  and  children. 

Eli  Sanford,  wife,  and  son,  Hinman. 

Daniel  Barlow  and  wife. 

Burr  Meeker,  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  family  ; 
and  Miss  Coley,  who  became  the  wife  of  Dr.  L.  N. 
Beardsley,  of  Milford,  Ct. 


APPENDIX  L  237 

Joel  Barlow  and  family. 

Henry  and  Joseph  II.  Meeker. 

Ebenezcr  Sanford  and  Stephen  Sanford. 

Widow  Esther  Sanford  and  family. 

Joshua  Chapman  and  family. 

David  Chapman  and  family. 

Daniel  Chapman,  2d,  and  wife. 

Daniel  Chapman,  grandfather  of  Daniel  C.  Eider,  who 
with  his  family  have  been  constant  atcndants  at  church. 

Edward  Merchant  and  wife. 

Orson  Merchant  and  family. 

Joel  Merchant,  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  wife,  and  son. 

George  Merchant  and  daughter,  Eliza. 

Zalmon  Sanford  and  niece,  Emily,  afterward  Mrs. 
Lonson  Coley  of  Westport. 

Captain  Daniel  Sanford  and  two  sons — Marvin  C.  and 
Moses  B. 

Aaron  Perry,  Avife,  and  two  sons — Andrew  S.  and  David. 

John  Couch  and  wife,  and  Yonge  Lobdell,  who  after- 
ward was  a  missionary  in  Asia.  Also  for  a  time  a  boy, 
who  is  now  Eev.  Augustus  Jackson,  of  Washington,  D.  C. 

Beach  Whitebead  and  family. 

John  II.  Lee  and  wife,  and  Jane  Sherwood. 

Xoah  II.  Lindley  and  family,  and  his  wife's  mother, 
Mrs.  Win  ton. 

Isaac  Coley  and  daughter,  Betsej". 

Lemuel  Burr,  grandfather  of  Lemuel  B.  Benedict. 

Samuel  Mallory  - 

Eli  Mallory,  Avife,  and  son,  Frederick. 

Aaron  B.  Hull. 

Alfred  Rockwell,  wife,  and  son. 

Thurston  Lee  and  family. 

Noah  Lee  and  wife. 

Azariah  Coley's  family. 

The  Darling  family. 

Widow  Billy  Comstock  and  her  children. 


238  APPENDIX  I. 

Mrs.  Cornelia  Coley,  and  her  children,  who  are  now 
Mrs.  George  A.  Hickok,  of  Bethel,  and  Mrs.  Matthew 
Starr,  of  Nor  walk. 

Alonzo  Byington  and  wife. 

Joseph  B.  Goodsell  and  family,  and  J.  B.  Goodsell,  Jr. 

Burr  Bennett  and  wife. 

Samuel  B.  Goodsell  and  wife. 

Aaron  Byington  and  wife,  Jane  Darling,  and  William 
B.  Skillenger. 

Old  Mr.  Billy  Morehouse. 

Walker  Bates  and  family.  Mr.  Bates  at  this  time 
taught  a  select  boarding  and  day  school,  and  his  scholars 
attended  church. 

Elias  Bates  and  wife. 

Bradley  Hill  and  family. 

Eliza  A.  Hull,  sister,  and  brother  John  A. 

Noah  M.  Lee  and  wife. 

Stephen  Jackson. 

Zalmon  B.  Banks,  wife,  and  family. 

Deacon  Joel  Foster  and  family. 

Mrs.  Moses  Dimon. 

Charles  Lewis  (colored). 

Mrs.  Nathan  Lee. 

Captain  Stephen  Gray  and  wife. 

Colonel  Joseph  W.  Gorham  and  family. 

Samuel  Hull,  wife,  and  granddaughter. 

John  Fairchild  and  family. 

Ephraim  Sanford  and  wife. 

Enoch  A.  Sanford  and  family. 

Bradley  Sanford  and  wife. 

David  Sanford,  wife,  and  son,  George  A. 

Daniel  Sauford  and  wife. 

Joel,  Ezra,  and  Irad  Carter  came  to  Redding  about  this 
time  and  attended  church  here. 

Eli  Gilbert,  Milo  Lee,  and  the  Messrs.  Sheltons,  hatter?, 
attended  church. 


APPENDIX  II. 


REPRESENTATIVES  TO  THE  LEGISLATURE. 


October,  1767.     Col.  John  Bead. 

May,  1763.     None. 

October,  1768.     Gapt.  Stephen  Mead. 

May,  1769.     Col.  John  Read,  Capt.  Henry  Lyon. 

October,  1769.     Capt.  Henry  Lyon. 

May,  1770.     Capt.  Stephen  Mead,  Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford. 

October,  1770.     Col.  John  Eead,  Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford. 

May,  1771.     Col.  John  Read,  Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford. 

October,  1771.     Mr.  Hezekiah  Sanford. 

May,  1772.     Col.  John  Read,  Mr.  Hezekiah  Sanford. 

October,  1772.     Mr.  Hezekiah  Sanford. 

May,  1773.     Col.  John  Read,  Mr.  Hezekiah  Sanford. 

October,  1773.     Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford,  Mr.  James  Rogers. 

May,  1774.     Mr.  William  Hawley,  Mr.  Peter  Fairchild. 

October,  1774.    Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford,  Mr.  William  Hawley. 

May,  1775.     Mr.  William  Hawley. 

October,  1775.    Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford,  Mr.  \Villiam  Hawley. 

May,  1776.     Mr.  Hezekiah  Sanford,  Mr.  Seth  Sanford.  * 

October,  1776.     Mr.   Samuel   Sanford,  Jr.,    Mr.  Stephen 

Betts,  Jr. 

May,  1777.     Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford,  Mr.  Daniel  Sanford. 
October,  1777.     None  attended. 
January,  1778.     Mr.  Seth  Sanford. 
February,  1778.     Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford. 


240  APPENDIX  II. 

May,  1778.     Mr.  Lemuel  Sauford,  Mr.  William  Heron. 

October,  1778.     Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford. 

May,  1779.     Mr.  Setli  Sanford. 

October,  1779.     Mr.  William  Hawley,  Mr.  William  Heron. 

May,  1780.     Mr.  William  Hawley,  Mr.  William  Heron. 

October,  1780.     Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford,  Mr.  Seth  Sanford. 

May,  1781.      Unrecorded. 

October,  1781.     Capt.  William  Hawley. 

May,  1782.     Mr.  Stephen  Betts. 

October,  1782.     Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford.  Mr.  Stephen  Betts. 

May,  1783.     Mr.  Stephen  Betts,  Mr.  Tiiaddeus  Benedict. 

October,  1783.     Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford,  Mr.  Stephen  Betts. 

May,  1784.  Mr.  Hezekiah  Sanford,  Mr.  Thaddeus  Benedict. 

October,  1784.     Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford,  Mr.  William  Heron. 

May,  1785.     Mr.  Hezekiah  Sanford,  Mr.  William  Heron. 

October,  1785.    Mr.  Hezekiah  Sanford,  Mr.  William  Heron. 

May,  1786.     Mr.  William  Hawley. 

October,  1786.  Mr.  Hezekiah  Sanford,  Mr.  William  Heron. 

May,  1787.     Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford,  Mr.  William  Heron. 

October,  1787.     Mr.  William  Heron. 

May,  1788.     Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford,  Mr.  William  Heron. 

October,  1788.     Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford,  Mr.  William  Heron. 

May,  1789.     Mr.  William  Heron. 

October,  1789.     Mr.  Lemuel  Sanford,  Mr.  William  Heron. 

May,  1790.     Mr.  Thaddeus  Benedict,  Mr.  William  Heron. 

October,  1790.     Mr.  Thaddeus  Benedict,  Mr.  Andrew  L. 

Hill. 

May,  1791.     Mr.  Hezekiah  Sauford,  Mr.  Andrew  L.  Hill. 
October,  1791.     Mr.  Hezekiah   Sanford.   Mr.  Andrew  L. 

Hill. 

May,  1792.     Mr.  Hezekiah  Sanford,  Mr.  Andrew  L.  Hill. 
October,  1792.    Mr.  Hezekiah  Sanford,  Mr.  Aaron  Barlow. 
May,  1793.     Mr.  Hezekiah  Sanford,  Mr.  Andrew  L.  Hill. 
October,     1793.       Mr.  Hezekiah    Sanford,    Mr.    Simeon 

Munger. 


APPENDIX  11.  241 

May,  1794.     Mr.  Thaddeus  Benedict,  Mr.  Aaron  Barlow. 

October,  1794.     Mr.  Thaddcus  Benedict,  Mr.  Aaron  Bar- 
low. 

May,  1795.     Mr.  Thaddens  Benedict,  Mr.  Aaron  Barlow. 

October,  1795.     Mr.  William  Heron,  Mr.  Andrew  L.  Hill. 

May,  179G.      Mr.  William  Heron,  Mi*.  James  Rogers. 

October,  1796.     Mr.  William  Heron,  Mr.  James  Rogers. 

May,  1797.     Mr.  Simeon  Munger,  Mr.  Scth  Samuel  Smith. 

October,  1797.      Mr.   Simeon  Munger,  Mr.  Seth  Samuel 
Smith. 

May,  1798.     Mr.  Simeon  Munger,  Mr.  Seth  Samuel  Smith. 

May,  1799.     Mr.  Simeon  Munger,  Mr.  Stephen  Jackson. 

October,  1799.     Mr.  Simeon  Munger,  Mr.  Stephen  Jack- 
son. 

May,  1800.     Mr.  Simeon  Munger,  Mr.  Seth  Samuel  Smith. 

October,  1800.     Mr.  Andrew  L.  Hill,  Mr.  Stephen  Jack- 
son. 

May,  1801.     Mr.  Andrew  L.  Hill,  Mr.  Stephen  Jackson. 

October,  1801.     Mr.  Simeon  Munger,  Mr.  Peter  Sanforcl. 

May,  1802.     Mr.  S.  Samuel  Smith,  Mr.  Andrew  L.  Hill. 

October,  1802.     Mr.  Aaron  Sanford,  Mr.  Joshua  King. 

May,  1803.     Mr.  Seth  S.  Smith,  Mr.  Andrew  L.  Hill. 

October,  1803.     Mr.  Seth  S.  Smith,  Mr.  Andrew  L.  Hill. 

May,  1804.     Mr.  Seth  S.  Smith. 

October,  1804.     Mr.  Simeon  Munger,  Mr.  Peter  Sanford. 

May,  1805.     Seth  Samuel  Smith,  Andrew  L.  Hill. 

October,  1805.     Simeon  Munger,  Peter  Sanford. 

May,  180G.     Andrew  L.  Hill,  Simeon  Munger. 

October,  180G.     Andrew  L.  Hill,  Simeon  Munger. 

May,  1807.     Andrew  L.  Hill,  Simeon  Munger. 

October,  1807.     Seth  Samuel  Smith,  Lemuel  Sanford. 

May,  1808.     Andrew  L.  Hill,  Lemuel  Sanford. 

October,  1808.     Lemuel  Sanford,  Simeon  Munger. 

May,  1809.     Andrew  L.  Hill,  Lemuel  Sanford. 

Octobar,  1809.     Andrew  L.  Hill,  Lemuel  Sanford. 
17 


242  APPENDIX  II. 

May,  1810.     Andrew  L.  Hill,  Lemuel  Sanford. 
October,  1810.     Andrew  L.  Hill,  Lemuel  Sanford. 
May,  1811.     Samuel  Whiting,  Peter  Sanford. 
October,  1811.     Andrew  L.  Hill,  Samuel  Whiting, 
May,  1812.     Andrew  L.  Hill,  Lemuel  Sanford. 
October,  1812.     Andrew  L.  Hill,  Lemuel  Sanford. 
May,  1813.     Lemuel  Sanford,  Samuel  Whiting. 
October,  1813.     Lemuel  Sanford,  Samuel  Whiting. 
May,  1814.     Lemuel  Sanford,  Samuel  Whiting. 
October,  1814.     John  Meeker,  Lemuel  Sanford. 
May,  1815.     Jonathan  R.  Sanford,  Samuel  Whiting. 
October,  1815.     Simeon  Hunger,  Hezekiah  Read,  Jr. 
May,  181G.     Isaac  Beach,  Hezekiah  Read,  Jr. 
October,  1810.     Samuel  Whiting,  Hezekiah  Read,  Jr. 
May,  1817.     Isaac  Beach,  Benjamin  Meeker. 
October,  1817.     Jonathan  Meeker,  John  R.  Hill. 
May,  1818.     Billy  Comstock,  Aaron  Sanford,  Jr. 
October,  1818.     AVilliam  Sanford,  John  Meeker. 
May,  1819.     Billy  Comstock,  Hezekiah  Read.  Jr. 

1820.  Isaac  Coley,  Jonathan  R.  Sanford. 

1821.  Daniel  Barlow,  Seth  Wheeler. 

1822.  Billy  Comstock,  John  R.  Hill. 

1823.  John  R.  Hill,  Aaron  Sanford,  Jr. 

1824.  Ephraim  Sanford,  Rowland  Fanton. 

1825.  Benjamin  Meeker,  William  Sanford. 
182G.     Joel  Merchant,  Michael  Jennings. 

1827.  Thomas  B.  Fanton,  Gershom  Sker \vood. 

1828.  John  M.  Heron,  William  Sanford. 

1829.  Aaron  Sanford,  Daniel  Barlow. 

1830.  Gershom  Sherwood,  Gurdon  Bartram. 

1831.  Jonathan  R.  Sanford,  Jared  Olmstead. 

1832.  Ralph  Sanford,  Walker  Bates. 

1833.  Jacob  Wanzer,  Thaddeus  B.  Read. , 

1834.  Thomas  B.  Fanton,  Bradley  Hill. 

1835.  T.  B.  Fanton,  Walker  Bates. 


APPENDIX  //.  243 

1836.  Ralpli  Sanford,  Burr  Meeker. 

1887.  Timothy  Parsons,  Jesse  Banks. 

1838.  Thomas  B.  Fanton,  Aaron  Perry. 

1839.  Thomas  B.  Funton,  Benjamin  Meeker. 

1840.  Walker  Bates,  David  S.  Duncomb. 

1841.  Thaddeus  M.  Abbott,  Morris  Hill. 

1842.  Hezekiah  Davis,  John  W.  Sanford. 

1843.  Edward  Starr,  Jr.,  Barney  Bartram. 

1844.  Charles  Beach,  Charles  D.  Smith. 

1845.  Peter  S.  Coley,  Aaron  R.  Bartram. 

1846.  James  Sanford,  Harry  Meeker. 

1847.  Bradley  Hill,  Samuel  S.  Osborn. 

1848.  Burr  Bennett,  Floyd  Tucker. 

1849.  Daniel  C.  Rider,  Henry  Couch. 

1850.  Matthew  Gregory,  Rufus  Mead. 

1851.  Milo  Lee,  Frederick  1).  Dimon. 

1852.  Aaron  Burr,  Aaron  B.  Hull. 

1853.  Ebenezer  Wilson,  Turney  Sanford. 

1854.  Jonathan  R.  Sanford,  Walker  Bates. 

1855.  Cortez  Merchant,  Gurdon  B.  Leo. 
185G.  Thomas  Sanford,  Milo  Lee. 

1857.  John  0.  St.  John,  David  B.  Sanford. 

1858.  James  Sanford,  Benjamin  S.  Boughton. 

1859.  John  Edmond,  Matthew  Gregoiy. 

1860.  Jacob  Shaw,  Daniel  S.  Sanford. 

1861.  Edmund  T.  Dudley,  Matthew  Gregory. 

1802.  Walker  Bates,  George  Osborn. 

1803.  John  Edmond,  David  H.  Mead. 

1864.  Walker  Bates,  Aaron  Treadwell. 

1865.  Thomas  B.  Fanton,  William  Hill. 

1866.  Charles  Osborne,  Edward  P.  Shaw. 

1867.  David  S.  Johnson,  William  B.  Hill. 

1868.  Francis  A.  Sanford,  B.  S.  Boughton. 

1869.  Aaron  II.  Davis,  William  II.  Hill. 

1870.  John  S.  Sanford,  J.  R,  Sanford. 


244  APPENDIX  II. 

1871.  E.  F.  Foster,  Luzon  JellifL 

1872.  Henry  S.  Osborn,  Arthur  B.  Hill. 

1873.  Stebbins  Baxter,  Moses  Hill. 

1874.  J.  R.  Sanford,  Edward  P.  Shaw. 

1875.  Turney  Sanford,  Henry  Burr  Platt. 

1876.  James  Sanford,  Orrin  Platt. 

1877.  Thomas  Sanford,  George  F.  Banks. 

1878.  Azariah  E.  Meeker,  Daniel  Sanford. 

1879.  Harvey  B.  Rumsey,  George  Coley. 

1880.  David  S.  Bartrani,  Azariah  Meeker. 

Bedding  was  made  a  Probate  District  in  1839.  The 
Judges  of  Probate  have  been  :  Thomas  B.  Fanton,  Jona- 
than R.  Sanford,  Thaddeus  M.  Abbott,  and  Lemuel  San- 
ford, the  latter  being  the  present  incumbent. 


APPENDIX  III. 

PAY-HOLL    OF    CAPT.    WILLIAM    JUDD'S   COMPANY,    COL. 
WYLLY'S  REGIMENT. 

ENCAMPED   AT   READING,  1778-9. 


Asa  Chapman,  Sergt.  Comr.  Dunham,  Jr. 

Homer  Phelps.  Ebenezer  Park. 

Joel  Smith,  Sergt.  Samuel  Hotchkiss. 

Thomas  Peck.  Ephraim  Taylor. 

Elijah  Porter.  Amos  Barns. 

William  Lee,  fifer.  Shaw. 

Eleazer  Porter.  Joseph  Hill. 

D.  Adams.  Benj.  Potts. 

Timothy  Keeler.  David  Heydon. 

Levi  Hamlin.  Ebenr.  Park. 

Elisha  Holsten.  Abel  Scipio. 

Stephen  Chapman.  Thomas  Swift. 

John  Oakley.  Luther  Atkins. 


APPENDIX  IV. 


NAMES   BORNE   ON   THE   LIST   OF  THE   SOCIETY   OF   CINCIN- 
NATI   OF   CONNECTICUT. 


Timothy  Ailing,  Capt. 
Robert  Ailing,  Lt. 
Stephen  Ailing,  Lt. 
Thomas  Andrews,  Lt. 
Roger  Alden,  Capt. 
Simeon  Avery,  Lt. 
Ezekiel  P.  Belden,  Capt. 
Simeon  Belden,  Lt. 
Caleb  Bull,  Capt. 
Aaron  Bull,  Lt. 
John  II.  Buell,  Capt. 
Phillip  B.  Bradley,  Col. 
Daniel  Bradley,  Lt. 
Nathan  Beers,  Lt. 
Nathaniel  Bishop,  Lt. 
James  Bennet,  Lt. 
Aaron  Benjamin,  Lt. 
Abm.  Baldwin,  Chaplain 
David  Bushnell,  Capt. 
Isaac  Munson,  Surg.  mate 
William  Beaumont,  Lt. 
Stephen  Billings,  Capt. 
John  Barnard,  Capt. 
David  Beach,  Lt. 


John  Ball,  Lt. 
Ebenr.  Beardsley,  surgeon. 
Jona  Burnall,  D.  C.  M.  G. 
Gurdon  Bill,  marines. 
Zebulon  Butler,  Col. 
Edward.  Bulkley,  Capt. 
Stephen  Betts,  Capt. 
Moses  Cleaveland,  Capt. 
John.  Cleaveland,  En. 
Elijah  Chapman,  Capt. 
Albert  Chapman,  Major. 
Lemuel  Cliff,  Capt. 
Willis  Cliff,  Major. 
Solomon  Cowles,  Com. 
George  Cotton,  En. 
Samuel  Comstock,  Capt. 
William  Colfax,  Capt. 
Giles  Curtis,  Lt. 
Joseph  Clark,  En. 
Eliph.  Chamberlain,  Capt. 
Noah  Coleman,  Surgeon. 
Thomas  Converse,  Capt. 
Jesse  Cook,  Capt. 
Abner  Cole,  En. 


246 


APPENDIX  IV. 


John  Davenport,  Major. 

James  Davenport,  Com. 

Pownall  Denning,  Lt. 

Henry  Daggett,  Lt. 

Samuel  Deforest,  Lt. 

Richard  Douglass,  Capt. 

James  Dole,  Lt.  Horse. 

John  Dusher,  Capt. 

Martin  Denslow. 

David  Dorrenee,  Capt. 

John  Ellis,  Chaplain. 

Edward  Eels,  Capt. 

Charles  Fanning,  Lt. 

Ebenezer  Frothingham,  Lt. 

Thomas  Farmer,  Lt. 

Silas  Goodell,  Lt. 

William  Glenny,  Lt. 

Ozias  Goodrich,  En. 
Samuel  Gibbs,  Lt. 
Xebemiah  Gorham,  Lt. 
Eben.  Gray,  Lt.-Col. 

Matthias  Gregory. 
Thos.  Grosvenor,  Lt.-Col. 
Jesse  Grant,  Capt. 
Jed.  Huntington,  B. -Gen. 
Eben.  Huntington,  Lt.-Col. 
Hezekiah  Hubbard,  Com. 
Elijah  Hubbard,  Com. 
Neh.  Hubbard,  Com. 
William  Higgins,  Lt. 
Jos.  Higgins,  Surg.  mate. 
Tallmadge  Hall,  Lt. 
Philemon  Hall,  Lt. 
Amos  Hall,  Lt. 
Jona.  Hart,  Capt. 


John  Hart,  En. 
Chas.  Hopkins,  Lt. 
David  Humphreys,  A.  D.  C. 
Timothy  Hosmer,  Surgeon. 
Elijah  Humphreys,  Capt. 
Prentice  Hosmer,  Lt. 
Elisha  Hopkins,  Capt. 
John  Hobart,  Lt.   ; 
Samuel  Hart,  Lt. 
Jacpnes  Harman,  En. 
Gideon  Hawley,  Lt.  Horse. 
Jerouymus  Ilogeland,  Capt. 
Salmon  Hubbell,  Lt. 
Asahel  Hodges,  Capt. 
Peleg  Heath,  Lt, 
Hez.  Holdridge,  Lt.-Col. 
William  Henshaw,  Lt. 
James  Hyde,  Lt. 
Roger  Hooker,  Lt. 
Jona.  Johnson,  Lt.-Col. 
David  Judson,  Cnpt. 
William  Judd,  Capt. 
Elijah  Jones,  Lt.  Horse. 
Thaddeus  Keeler,  Lt. 
Isaac  Keeler,  Lt. 
Aaron  Keeler,  En. 
Ephraim  Kimberly,  Capt. 
Jacob  Kingsburv,  En. 

O  J  J  J 

Joshua  Knapp,  En. 
Joshua  King,  Lt.  Horse. 
Amasa  Keyes,  Capt. 
Eli  Leavensworth,  Major. 
Elihu  Lyman,  En. 
William  Leverett,  Lt. 
Sibbens  Loomis,  Lt. 


APPENDIX  IV. 


Seth  Lewis,  Com. 
.lames  Lord,  Lt. 
Noah  Lee,  Capt. 
Asa  Lyon,  Lt. 
William  Lyon,  Lt 
Return  Meigs,  Col. 
John  Meigs,  Lt. 
William  Monson,  Capt. 
Theophilus  Monson,  Capt. 
Charles  Miller,  Lt. 
John  Mansfield,  Lt. 
John  Mix,  Lt. 
James  Morris,  Capt. 
Eneas  Monson,  Sur  mate. 
Jasper  Meade,  Lt. 
Samuel  Mills,  Lt. 
John  Miles,  Lt. 
Timothy  Matthew,  Surgeon. 
John  Noyes,  Surgeon. 
William  Nichols,  Lt. 
Simeon  Newell. 
James  Olmsted,  Lt. 
Sam.  H.  Parsons,  Maj.-Gen. 
Stephen  Potter,  Capt. 
Solomon  Pinto,  En. 
William  Pike,  Lt.  Horse. 
Ralph  Pomroy,  Lt. 
Seth  Phelps,  Capt. 
Aimer  Prior,  Maj. 
Reuben  Pride,  Lt. 
David  Phipps,  Capt. 
Jonas  Prentice,  Capt. 
R.  Peck. 

Charles  Pond,  Capt. 
Daniel  Putnam,  D.  C. 


Ebenezer  Perkins,  Capt. 
Hezekiah  Roberts,  Capt. 
Jedediah  Rogers,  Lt. , 
Joseph  Rogers,  Ens. 
Peter  Robinson,  Capt. 
Elias  Robinson,  Lt. 
Cornelius  Russ3ll,  Lt. 
John  Rose,  Surgeon. 
John  Riley,  Capt. 
Aaron  Rhea,  Lt.  Horse. 
Samuel  Richards,  Lt. 
Nehemiah  Rice,  Capt. 
Josiah  Root,  Sur.  mate. 
Josiah  Starr,  Col. 
David  Starr,  Capt. 
Thomas  Starr,  Lt. 
Cleorge  Starr. 
David  Smith,  Maj. 
Ezra  Smith,  Lt. 
Joel  Smith,  En. 
Isaac  Sherman,  Lt. -Col. 
John  Sherman,  Lt. 
Thos.  Y.  Seymour,  Capt. 
Horace  Seymour,  Lt.  Horse. 
Aaron  Seymour,  Capt. 
Benjamin  Sutliff,  Lt. 
Elias  Stillwell,  Capt. 
Reuben  Sanderson,  Lt. 
Heman  Swift,  Col. 
John  Simpson,  Surgeon. 
Ezra  Selden,  Capt. 
William  Stanton,  Capt. 
John  Sumner,  Lt.-Col. 
Thomas  Skinner,  Surgeon. 
Abijah  Savage,  Capt. 


248 


APPENDIX  IV. 


Simon  Thatcher,  Capt. 
David  Strong,  Capt. 
David  F.  Sill,  Lt.-Col. 
Joseph  Shaler,  Lt. 
Elisha  Sheldon,  Lt.-Col. 
Jon.  Trumbnll,  Lt.-Col. 
John  Trumbull,  Col. 
Ebenezer  Farmer,  Lt. 
Tryal  Farmer,  Lt. 
Timothy  Taylor,  Capt. 
Josiah  Tiffany,  Lt. 
Henry  Ten  Eycke,  Capt. 
John  Trowbridge,  Lt. 
Isaiah  Thompson,  Capt. 
John  R.  Troop,  Lt. 
Benjamin  Tallmadge,  Maj. 
Samuel  Wyllys,  Col. 
John  P.  Wyllys,  Maj. 
Jeremiah  Wadsworth,  Col. 
Elijah  Wadsworth,  Capt. 
Samuel  B.  Webb,  Col. 


John  Webb,  Capt. 
William.  Watmaly,  Engr. 
Ebenezer  Wales,  Lt. 
John  White,  Lt. 
Joseph  A.  Wright,  Maj. 
Roger  Wells,  Capt. 
Joshua  Whitney,  Lt. 
Joseph  Walker,  Capt. 
Peter  Woodward,  Lt. 
Theodore  Woodbridge,  Maj. 
Thaddeus  Weed,  Capt. 
John  P.  Watrous,  Surgeon. 
Ames  Walbridge,  Maj. 
Samuel  W.  Williams,  Capt. 
Erastus  Wolcott,  Capt, 
Fred.  Whiting,  Lt.  Horse. 
Nathan  F.  Whiting,  Lt. 
Jeffery  Whiting,  Capt. 
Robert  Warner,  Maj. 
Joseph  Wilcox,  Lt. 


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